ThunderCats: War of Kings
by KyleK12
Summary: AU2011. In this sequel to "Sword of Kings", Lion-O fights a war on two fronts. It is not long before an ancient weapon of evil rises once again. LiChee.
1. Chapter I: Berbils

**The war begins here! As my Grandfather always said: "I do not own ThunderCats!"**

_Twin blades born from the star,_

_Twin blades born from Plun-Darr._

_One carries an evil power to harness,_

_The other can finally end the darkness._

_**ThunderCats: War of Kings**_

_**Chapter I: Berbils**_

The Conquedor knew he would make a fortune today. With all the Ro-Bear Berbils he managed to capture from the Order of the Hand, those stupid Giantors and Trollogs would pay their weight in gold for just one of the walking scrap piles.

The Conquedor chuckled for a bit at the thought of the Order. Even with all the Technology that the Berbils built for them, he was still able to capture some with his tank. Though the slaver did not fear the soldiers, he was afraid of any retribution from Lord Lion-O, the Rebel Prince and "true" Lord of the ThunderCats.

It was three months ago that he had "murdered" General Grune and Head Cleric Jaga. Since that time, Lord Lion-O had joined the Order of the Hand at their "Cats Lair", the mysterious stronghold that's whereabouts are unknown. In opposition, King Claudus and Tygra, the new Crown Prince of Thundera, had pledged to end his treacherous rebellion.

The Conquedor looked to his haul, the various Berbils incarcerated by the disruptor rings. He was also lucky to have captured the "rare acquisition" that he now kept in a steel box, which rocked as the creature struggled to get out.

With a deep breath, the Conquedor stepped out from behind the curtain and onto his stage. The Trollogs and Giantors were there as expected with the canyon giving them some shade from the sun.

"Welcome, my friends!" the Conquedor greeted. "I am so glad that many of you have come to partake in my auction."

With his remote, the disruptor rings helped move the Berbils from behind the curtain and out onto the stage. The Conquedor saw the greed shining in the eyes of both the Trollogs and the Giantors. That was good; greed always made business profits go up.

"Our first lot is this bundle of Ro-Bear Berbils," the slaver said. "The finest builders on Third Earth, they can make whatever you demand of them in a matter of days or even hours. Bidding will now start at one thousand shillecks."

The price went up to about five thousand shillecks with the Giantors being the highest bidders. The Conquedor smiled inside his suit; now he had enough to get those new upgrades for his tank. All he had to do now was sell off the "rare acquisition" and he'd be set for life.

It was then that balls fell around them. Multiple colored paints were soon splattered on the Conquedor and his patrons. This enraged the gathered crowd. Who would dare do this to them?

Twin voices then shouted out. "HEY LOSERS!"

They all turned to see an unbelievable sight. The gathered party saw a pair of kittens on what appears to be floating boards made of steel.

"You have some of our friends over there," the kitten boy said, pointing at the Berbils.

"Yeah," the girl kitten said, "and we aren't leaving until we get them back."

The Conquedor growled. "You're too late," he said. "I already sold them to the Giantors."

The twins smirked again before they threw more multi-colored balls. Instead of paint though, grey smoke emerged from them when they broke. The Giantors and Trollogs coughed as they breathed in the smoke, while the Conquedor tried to wave it out of the way.

By the time the smoke-screen finally cleared out, the Berbils were already gone. The Conquedor saw the tiny machines in ball-form, racing alongside the kittens on their hover boards.

"AFTER THEM!" the slaver yelled, rallying his patrons.

While the Conquedor entered his tank, the Giantors and Trollogs quickly pursued the escapees, stumbling as they tried to keep up. They saw them turn down a path to the right and round the corner. Both groups instantly decided to follow that path.

They all were shocked at what they saw.

With the Berbils by their side, the kittens mockingly waved to the Giantors and Trollogs as they gawked at what was behind them. A gargantuan tank in the shape of a cat rumbled as four cats stood on top of it. They ignored the panther, cheetah, and puma; they only saw the lion that stood in the middle of them.

Lord Lion-O drew the fabled Sword of Omens from the Claw Shield. "Thunder." The blade grew as he slashed the air in front of him. "Thunder." A second slash. "Thunder." The lion slashed a third time before he pointed the blade upward. "THUNDERCATS, HO!"

A red light shot out from the Eye of Thundera, shining the black and red ThunderCats symbol in the sky. Both Giantors and Trollogs never thought they would face Lord Lion-O and his ThunderCats. They watched, full of dread, as all four cats jumped from the tank and attacked.

The puma unfolded her collapsible bow and shot an arrow at the nearest Giantor, hitting him in the leg and causing him to fall. Cheetara was fighting off multiple Trollogs with her Bo staff and Panthro was doing serious damage with his nunchaku. WilyKat and WilyKit distracted their enemies by throwing more explosive pellets at their feet.

One Giantor was attempting to crush Lion-O with his club, repeatedly hammering his weapon downward. Lion-O's many years of fighting in the Ring helped him avoid all these attacks. The lion used his Sword of Omens to cut through the club before he jump kicked the Giantor down.

The ThunderCats surrounded their enemies. "You can surrender now," Lion-O said to them, "and I promise that you will all be spared."

Both Giantors and Trollogs had no time to answer as a rumbling soon echoed through the canyon. They all saw the Conquedor's tank rolling through the passage, the spiked balls crushing everything in their path.

The slaver's voice could be heard over the tank's speakers. _"You made a mistake making me your enemy, Lord Lion-O. Now you will die. Perhaps I will collect on that bounty your father has on your head."_

A moment of panic seized the Lord of the ThunderCats. "Everyone, get in the ThunderTank NOW!"

They didn't need to be told twice. Both ThunderCats and Berbils raced into the gargantuan vehicle as the Giantors and Trollogs raced past it. Panthro started the tank's engine as soon as they were all in.

Panthro had put the tank into full reverse. "Please tell me this thing can go faster," Lion-O said, watching as the Conquedor's tank loomed closer.

"Not unless you want to get out and push," the panther said. "There's bound to be a few flaws since the upgrade."

"Panthro, just shoot this guy already," Pumyra groaned. "The main cannon on the old prototype was powerful enough to bring down the palace gates."

Panthro pointed at the tank, watching as it gained more speed. "Well that isn't the palace gate, now is it?"

Lion-O heard the humming from his sword. "I have an idea," he said, walking to the ladder that led to a hatch. "I'm heading up to the top. I'll keep in touch with my comlink."

Cheetara grabbed onto him before the lion could climb up. "Lion-O, you can't. It's too dangerous."

"I'll be fine, Cheetara," the Rebel Prince tried to assure her. "I need you to trust me on this one."

The cheetah hesitated before she nodded and let him go. Lion-O quickly climbed up the ladder and jumped out of the hatch. The prince steadied himself on top of the tank as he moved to the edge.

Lion-O pressed two of his fingers against his comlink. "Panthro," he said, "fire the cannon at the center of his tank."

"_Are you sure about this, Lion-O?"_

"Just trust me on this one," the prince said. "Fire on my mark." He drew the Sword of Omens from his shield. The Eye of Thundera glowed bright red as Lion-O aimed it at the tank. "Now!"

A red beam was fired from the sacred jewel as the ThunderTank shot its main cannon; both beams struck the center of the Conquedor's tank. Alone, one beam could hope to do some minimal damage, but together, they managed to get through its armor and attack the engine.

A chain of small explosions rocked through the tank, destroying the treads on one side. The tank drifted to the left and several sparks came out as it scraped against the cliff face. It eventually hit a slope in the cliff and turned onto its side, sliding for several feet before finally coming to a rest.

Lion-O jumped to the ground as the ThunderTank came to a halt and raced to the wrecked vehicle. The Conquedor emerged from his main hatch, falling to the ground as he carried his rifle and a steel box. He caught sight of the Rebel Prince and raised his rifle, but Lion-O merely knocked it out of his hands with the Claw Shield.

The Conquedor held the steel box up to the lion. "Lord Lion-O," he said, "I have a proposition for you. Trade me the Berbils for this rare acquisition; it's worth more than those walking scrap heaps."

Lion-O took the steel box, but pointed the blade of his Sword of Omens at the slaver's throat. "Listen very carefully," the prince said, "do not try to attack us again. If I even think you are anywhere near the Berbils' village, I will hunt you to the ends of Third Earth. NOW LEAVE!"

The Conquedor wasted no time in running as far away as he could from the Lord of the ThunderCats. Lion-O returned to the ThunderTank as the others raced out to meet him.

"Shouldn't we go after him?" Panthro asked. "Won't he try again to capture the Berbils?"

"Don't worry about him," Lion-O said, sheathing the Sword of Omens into the Claw Shield as he shifted the steel box into his right hand. "His customers will probably have a few words with him. Now come on; we need to get the Berbils back home."

* * *

To Ro-Bear Bill, the ThunderTank's return was a welcome sight after all that happened, especially with his wife and son racing toward him as they exited.

"Bella! Bebo!" Bill cried happily as he brought them both in a hug. He saw the lion approach as the other Berbils reunited with their families. "Thank you, Lord Lion-O; we owe you a great debt."

"There's no need for that, Bill," the Rebel Prince said. "You've done so much for us already."

Ro-Bear Bill seemed to look around for a moment. "You should know that the Grand Master has been looking for you," he said.

Lion-O swore under his breath; he was hoping to avoid Valern today. He knew that the Grand Master of the Order of the Hand would not be happy with him risking his own life to save the Ro-Bear Berbils. It probably did not help that he also brought along Pumyra, Valern's own daughter, to help with the rescue.

"Lord Lion-O!" Speak of the demon, and the demon shall come. Valern and several of the _new_ Clerics were making their way towards him. "What were you thinking?" he asked. "You needlessly risked your life by going alone without any of your Clerics."

Valern was addressing the Clerics that were sworn to serve both Lion-O and the Order of the Hand. These Clerics did not wear the white robes that those who served Claudus wore; they were dressed in dark blue flexible armor that resembled the Order's soldiers. While the old Clerics wore veils to protect their anonymity, these new lion's head masks covered the lower half of their faces. Though Cheetara was trained to fight with her Bo staff, they were taught how to wield a pair of tonfa.

"He was not alone, Grand Master," Cheetara said, taking her place by her prince's side, "and he was not _without_ a Cleric."

Valern grimaced. "Lord Lion-O may have appointed you as his Head Cleric, Lady Cheetara, but that does not allow the two of you to go off on any unnecessary rescues."

Lion-O frowned at that. "We promised the Ro-Bear Berbils that we would protect them in exchange for their expertise in Technology," he said. "How can they put their trust into us if we cannot fulfill our promise?"

Valern said nothing for a moment. "You were expected to meet with Lady Kotiya at the Cats Lair almost an hour ago," the Grand Master said, agitated. "She has come a long way to pledge her support to your claim to the throne and she cannot be kept waiting for too long."

"I will meet her soon, Valern," Lion-O said. "But now, Lady Cheetara and I must go over some of the knowledge Jaga passed on to us."

Valern nodded before he made his departure, leaving two of the Clerics to stay in the Berbils' village. Lion-O knew that the Grand Master would make no move to stop the prince with his search for the Book of Omens, especially with the threat of Mumm-Ra looming over the horizon. There were now reports of Lizard armies armed with Technological weapons.

Lion-O dismissed the two Clerics and instructed them to stay near the ThunderTank before he walked off with Cheetara. "Don't we already have a basic idea of where the Tower of Omens is?" the cheetah asked as soon as they were both out of earshot.

"We do," Lion-O said, just before he took her hand and dragged the Head Cleric between two buildings. He then brought her into a kiss that left them both breathless for a bit. "I just wanted to be alone with you, if only for a while."

"I think I can understand that," Cheetara said with a slight smirk. "I can only imagine the sort of intentions this Lady Kotiya has for you."

Lion-O pressed a light kiss to her lips. "Well then," he said, "she'll just have to be disappointed. You are the only one for me, Cheetara."

They joined together in another kiss, Lion-O pushing Cheetara against the wall. They both clung together as their embrace became more passionate; Cheetara's fingers ran through her prince's fiery hair, while Lion-O placed one of his hands on the small of her back.

"C'mon WilyKat, hurry it up."

"I'm trying, but it won't open."

Both the cheetah and lion broke away from their embrace to see the Wilys with the Conquedor's steel box. Kat seemed to be attempting to use a lock pick to unlock the box.

"What are you two doing?" Lion-O called out to them. "I thought you were going to help Panthro."

"He and the Berbils went back to their 'secret project', so we're trying to open this box," WilyKat said, struggling with the lock. "But it's really hard to get it open."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Cheetara asked, concerned. "Whatever's in there might be dangerous."

"But it's been trying to get out since we beat the Conquedor," WilyKit said. "We can't just let it sit in here forever."

The boy Wily smiled brightly as a click sounded from the box. "Got it!" he said cheerfully as he opened it…

…only for the most bizarre creature to jump out of it. The strange creature clung to Lion-O's leg, screeching loudly as it hung on for dear life.

Cheetara quickly extended her staff. "Hold still, Lion-O; I'll get it."

"Wait," WilyKit cried out suddenly, "please don't kill him, Cheetara. He's probably just scared."

Lion-O managed to pry whatever it was off his leg and get a good look at it. The cat-like creature was covered in mahogany colored fur with a light underbelly. Its face was covered in white fur the same color as the fluff of hair at the end of its long tail. The wide green eyes complimented the yellow mowhawk-esque patch of hair on top of its head.

"What is this thing?" Lion-O asked curiously.

The creature looked at the prince with wide eyes before it opened its mouth. "Sssssnnnnnaaarrrfff!"

This confused all those that gathered. "What did it say?" Cheetara asked.

Lion-O though for some time. "I think it said…'snarf'."

Cheetara seemed to be observing the strange creature carefully. "He doesn't seem to be dangerous. The Conquedor said it was a 'rare acquisition', right? Where do you think he found it?"

"Who knows," Lion-O said, "but we can't just let it go out there alone."

The twins suddenly seemed excited. "Does that mean we can keep him, Lion-O?" WilyKit asked.

"Hold on," Cheetara interjected quickly. "I don't think that's a good idea. Who knows where he's been. Plus, he could be carrying diseases we don't know anything about."

"Please," the twins echoed, putting on sad puppy eyes. Cheetara seemed unimpressed by the look in their eyes.

Lion-O suddenly spoke up. "Snarf."

The cheetah turned to him. "What?"

He held up the creature in his arms. "His name is Snarf," Lion-O said. "You can't just get rid of him if he has a name, and his name is Snarf."

Cheetara looked to the twins and their begging eyes before turning back to her prince with a sigh. "Fine," she said, "he can stay with us." Both Wilys gave an exuberant "whoop" as Lion-O flashed a child-like smile. "C'mon, we need to head to the Cats Lair before Valern blows a gasket."

The Rebel Prince followed her after he gave Snarf to Kat and Kit. "We're not taking the ThunderTank, are we?"

"Of course not!" Cheetara exclaimed. "Panthro would kill us both if he knew we took his 'baby'. We'll catch a ride with some of the soldiers."


	2. Chapter II: King without a Throne

**As always: I OWN NOTHING!**

_**ThunderCats: War of Kings**_

_**Chapter II: King without a Throne**_

A cracking sound echoed through the Royal Palace's training grounds as a whip landed a blow on a training dummy. What made this dummy different was that it was made to resemble the traitorous "Rebel Prince".

Every day for the past three days, the Crown Prince Tygra had been out there training. After General Grune's death, his father had made him the head of the Thunderian army, taking the place of his mentor. Claudus also charged him with the duty of capturing Lion-O and bring him to justice.

As Tygra continued to whip the dummy, he could not help but imagine it as the real Lion-O. It seemed almost unreal how the lion had taken everything from him. His mother, the late Queen Leona, who accepted the tiger as if he was her own flesh-and-blood son, had died trying to give birth to Lion-O. He had killed General Grune, the man that had taken Tygra under his wing and was like a second father to him. And then, worst of all, Lion-O had manipulated Cheetara, the very woman the tiger loved, into doing his every bidding.

Tygra paused in his attacks if only for the moment. His injuries that he received from his beating had long since healed, but his heart had yet to recover. The Crown Prince would keep himself awake at night, his thoughts plagued by the memories of his brutal beating by his beloved. Despite it all, Tygra still loved Cheetara, and he would free her from Lion-O's grasp.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he had not heard someone's approach. "Your Highness."

Tygra quickly turned to see his second-in-command, General Lynx-O, standing before him. The gray irises of the lynx's blind eyes unnerved the Crown Prince. He always wondered how the General still managed to find his way without sight.

"I thought I said that I did not wish to be disturbed during my training, General Lynx-O," Tygra grumbled.

"I apologize, Prince Tygra," the blind cat bowed, "but your father sent me. He requests your presence in the council chamber immediately."

Tygra frowned at this. He wondered what was so important that his father would call him to the Council. Was it another surge of Lizard raiding parties in the outer settlements? Or was it another traitorous noble abandoning the King of Thundera and proclaiming his support for the "true" Lord of the ThunderCats?

Tygra followed Lynx-O into the Royal Palace and down its hallways, the tiger still wondering how the blind lynx found his way. They eventually reached the doors of the Council Chamber, guarded by two Clerics. The guardians of the throne opened the doors and the prince and general entered the room.

As the doors closed behind them, Tygra saw his father read from a piece of vellum. "Tygra," Claudus said and motioned to a chair next to him, "come take a seat."

Tygra took his place at the king's side. "What is that you're reading, Father?"

"Another manifesto from the Order of the Hand," Claudus growled. "Listen to this: 'All of Thundera should pledge themselves to the rightful King Lion-O, the true Lord of the ThunderCats. The cruel false King Claudus has committed unspeakable crimes against this once great nation. Only when King Lion-O brings him to justice and reclaims the Throne of Thundera will our kingdom be brought into a new golden age not seen since the first King Leo.'"

Claudus glared at the manifesto before he tore it in twain. "What utter nonsense," the king said. "The boy is a king without a throne, and this Order blindly follows him."

It was then that a leopard spoke up. "But this Order also has managed to secure supporters for your son, Your Majesty." This was Lord Pardalis, the new Head Cleric appointed briefly after Jaga's death. Though he was short in stature, he made up for his size in speed and skill. "It's not just nobles and governors, many of our soldiers _and_ several of our most loyal _Clerics_ have defected to Lion-O and the Order of the Hand."

This reminder from the Head Cleric brought grim faces to those in the chamber. Tygra only wondered what his father was thinking behind his face of stone. He wondered what his father thought of his own flesh and blood leading a rebellion against him.

"Is there anything else that requires my attention?" Claudus asked, the tension heard clearly in his tone.

Another lord stood up, a sealed envelope in his hands. "Your Majesty," he said, "we have received yet another message from Lord Ratar-O."

Claudus groaned. "Let me guess," he said, "the Master of Mount Plun-Darr is once again offering me this 'ultimate weapon' of his."

"Perhaps we should consider his offer, Your Majesty," the lord said again. "This weapon could give us an edge over the Order of the Hand's Technology. Also, there are the reports that General Slithe's armies are now armed with their own Technology."

Claudus snarled. "Thundera has stood for countless generations and will still stand without the aid of other animals, especially from rats like this Lord Ratar-O."

"But, Your Majes—"

"I will not make deals with a _rat_!" Claudus spat out the last word like a curse. The king calmed down for a bit before speaking again. "Is there anything else that we need to discuss?" They all shook their heads in the negative. "Then this council is adjourned."

Claudus quickly left the council chambers along with the others, leaving Tygra and Lynx-O alone. "Is there something wrong, Your Highness?" the blind general asked.

Tygra frowned. "He's still out there," he said. "Lion-O is still out there, and he is destroying everything Thundera stands for, everything that Leo stood for, and we cannot do anything about it."

Lynx-O made his way to leave, passing the Crown Prince as he did. "I believe that there is more to this so-called 'rebellion' than we know," he said to the tiger.

The general was gone before Tygra could retort. Such talk would be considered treason, but the tiger would let it slide for now. All he could think about right now was Lion-O, and how he would be brought down in the end.

* * *

Lady Kotiya was a leopard not known for her patience. As the first female governor of a Thunderian settlement, she held a lot of influence amongst the nobility and had a small army of her own. She allowed herself to be dressed in a tight black dress that did nothing to hide her curves.

Kotiya had to admit the Order of the Hand knew when secrecy was important. The soldiers that escorted her didn't remove her blindfold until after they arrived. It was then that she saw the statues first. On the left was Leo, Thundera's first king and Lord of the ThunderCats, who held the Sword of Omens with the blade downward. And on the right was Queen Leona, Lord Lion-O's late mother. If what the Order had told her was true, it would make sense that they would have a statue of her here in honor of her sacrifice.

But the true marvel was behind these statues, for behind them stood the Cat's Lair. Kotiya was now entering the rumored stronghold that the entire Thunderian army was trying desperately to find. One of the two hangar doors opened as the "Armored Troop Carrier" (nicknamed the Big-Cat by the soldiers) entered the lair, but not before the leopard saw the lion's head at the top of the fortress.

Kotiya expected to meet Lord Lion-O in the Great Hall, but was told that she would have to wait until he returned from an "unexpected" rescue mission. That was the problem; he was supposed to wait for her, not the other way around. This was why she now stood alone in the Grand Hall of the Cat's Lair.

"Lady Kotiya," she heard Valern call out. The Grand Master was walking to her. "Let me apologize once more for this delay. Lord Lion-O should be along shortly."

The first female governor frowned. "You and your subordinates have been saying that for the past hour, Grand Master," Kotiya said.

"Say it enough times, and it will become true, Lady Kotiya."

The governor turned to see Lord Lion-O—the Claw Shield and Sword of Omens strapped to his thigh—entering with his Head Cleric. Kotiya slightly grimaced as she saw that the rumors of Lady Cheetara's beauty were true. She also wondered if the _other_ rumor about the Rebel Prince and Head Cleric were true.

Lady Kotiya bowed gracefully in respect. "My King," she said, "it is the greatest honor in my life to meet you."

"I am not a king yet, Lady Kotiya," Lion-O told her honestly. "You can't exactly be one without a throne."

The governor smiled. "You may not sit on the Throne of Thundera today," Kotiya said, "but it always helps to strengthen your claim. If you are to be king, you must call yourself one."

To Lion-O, that did not seem logical. He wondered what Kotiya was playing at. Everyone has a price. Some of the nobles had supported Lion-O out of loyalty, but there was that small part that wanted a favor from the Rebel Prince. So the question was: what did Kotiya want?

"Grand Master Valern has told me that you wish to support me and the Order," Lion-O said. "What exactly are you offering us?"

Lady Kotiya smiled. "Whatever you need to take the throne, Lord Lion-O, it will be at your disposal. Should you need soldiers, my army is available to you. Should you be running low on food, I'm sure we have room in our granaries to support you. And should you or any of your allies need shelter, my settlement shall gladly house and protect you."

"You are too generous, Lady Kotiya," Lion-O said, slightly impressed by her offer. "There must be something that I can do to repay you."

Lady Kotiya's eyes seemed to be traveling up and down Lion-O's body, and Cheetara did not like it one bit. She would have to be blind not to see the leopard undressing _her_ prince with her eyes. The Head Cleric breathed deeply and balled her fists to try to quell the rage growing inside her.

"I have no doubt that you will be a strong king, Lord Lion-O," Kotiya said, placing her hand on his arm, "but you will still need a loyal queen by your side."

Lady Kotiya wrapped herself around the Rebel Prince's forearm, her breasts pressing against him through her dress. "I know that most kings choose lionesses to marry," the leopard purred, "but King Leo's wife was not one herself. I believe it is time to break away from that old tradition."

Kotiya began to whisper in his ear. "Let me be your queen, oh great King of Thundera," she murmured in a sultry whisper. "I will be faithful only to you, and I will bear you strong sons and beautiful daughters. Please, let me love you as only I can. This is all I ask of you."

It took all of Cheetara's will not to visibly seethe. Every nerve in her body screamed to attack the _whore_ that dared to touch the cheetah's love. Though she already knew that Lion-O would not agree to such a thing, Cheetara still hated the fact that this woman thought she could seduce him.

Lion-O had his own opinion on this. Kotiya seemed to have thought all this through. Though she was older than him by several years, it was not exactly scandalous that an older woman would marry a younger man any more. It was also not much of a big deal for cats to marry outside of their breed. Though some old conservatives could rant about him marrying someone who is not a lioness, they could not argue that it was an old tradition that was becoming obsolete. Lion-O could accept Kotiya's offer and take her as his queen.

But, unfortunately for her, Lion-O had Cheetara by his side, and nothing would tear him away from her.

Lion-O released himself from the leopard's grip and strode over to Cheetara. Kotiya's eyes seemed to almost bulge out of her head as the Rebel Prince brought his Head Cleric into a passionate kiss, one that the cheetah enthusiastically reciprocated.

Lion-O looked to the governor after he broke away from the kiss. "My apologies, Lady Kotiya," he said to her, "but I'm afraid I will have to say no to you being my queen." He gestured to Cheetara. "As you have seen, my Head Cleric and I are involved with each other, and I do not see myself changing my mind any time soon."

"Think carefully, Lord Lion-O," Kotiya said after composing herself. "You would be making a mistake in refusing me."

It was Cheetara that spoke up. "And it would be _you_ making a mistake when you thought he wouldn't," the Head Cleric said. "You cannot come in here, make such a demand, and think to throw yourself at Lord Lion-O just so he could say yes to you. You would have better luck with Prince Tygra if you wish to whore yourself out to anyone with power."

It was no surprise that the leopard began to seethe. "You little _bitch_," she almost screamed. "How dare you insult me in such a way? Lord Lion-O should learn to keep his servants on a shorter leash."

"And you should learn how to treat your betters in a respectful manner," Lion-O spoke up. "I think you have over-stayed your welcome, Lady Kotiya. I shall have my soldiers safely escort you back to your settlement."

The first female governor stared hard at the Lord of the ThunderCats. "I will not forget this, Lord Lion-O," Kotiya hissed.

She then took her leave, exiting the Grand Hall as fast as she could. Lion-O had no doubt that the leopard would try something against him, but he would deal with that eventually.

Valern approached the Rebel Prince, and he did not seem happy. "Lion-O," he said, trying to remain calm, "do you have any idea on what you have just done? We have just lost who could have been one of our most influential supporters."

Lion-O only changed the subject. "Cheetara and I know where the Tower of Omens may be," he said. "The two of us and the other ThunderCats shall begin our search there, and, hopefully, we will find the Book of Omens. We are leaving first thing in the morning."

"Is this lost _book_ more important than gaining support for our efforts?" Valern asked, seething.

"It is if we have any chance against Mumm-Ra," Lion-O argued.

"Mumm-Ra will not matter if Claudus kills us all first," the Grand Master almost yelled. It took some time for Valern to calm himself down. "What if this search proves fruitless? What if this book of legend is just that, a legend?"

Before he said anything, Lion-O stared hard at the puma in front of him. "Then pray, Grand Master, that it is not _just_ a legend."

It was then the Lord of the ThunderCats left with his Head Cleric following close behind, leaving the Order's Grand Master alone with his thoughts. Valern was never the praying sort, but after Lord Lion-O left in the morning, it was perhaps time for him to do just that.


	3. Chapter III: The Tower Part One

**No one owns ThunderCats, and that includes me!**

_ThunderCats: War of Kings_

_Chapter III: The Tower-Part One_

Mumm-Ra stood in the very heart of his Black Pyramid, the statues of the Ancient Spirits of Evil looking down on him. Before him was his dark pool, its ancient magic allowing the Evil One to peer beyond his haven and spy on those who inhabited Third Earth.

Mumm-Ra watched Lord Lion-O travel toward the Tower of Omens in his ThunderTank, no doubt in search of the Book of Omens. This sacred tome was said to hold great power and contain ancient secrets. If the Ever-Living One was to reclaim his rule, then he would have to take this book for himself.

Mumm-Ra gazed into his pool and saw Lion-O, he could see the determination in his teal eyes. He could see that this boy-turned-king would do everything to ensure that he would find the Book of Omens and use it to destroy the Evil One.

Seeing the boy allowed Mumm-Ra to drift off into those memories of old. His mind took him back countless generations, to when he still held dominion over all the animals, when he was not this weakened husk.

That was also when he had the loyalty of _Leo_. Centuries before, before the lion made himself the first Lord of the ThunderCats, Leo was once his most loyal lieutenant. He once stood by the Evil One's side before his Great Mutiny.

Mumm-Ra remembered Leo's sword, the Sword of Omens. He remembered the War Stone, the powerful gem that would have allowed him to rule over the entire cosmos. Leo had stolen the War Stone from Mumm-Ra's grasp and used it to empower his sword.

That was what led to the downfall of Mumm-Ra. After defeating the Evil One, Leo and his ThunderCats had sealed him away in his sarcophagus. They all had foolishly believed that was the end of him. But as long as evil exists, so does Mumm-Ra.

That was countless centuries ago, and now this was the present. Now the War Stone was in the possession of Lion-O. In the _boy's_ hand, it was a mere rock, like a toy in a child's hand. The young lion that now wielded the Sword of Omens had no idea on how to properly use the ancient gem. Only Mumm-Ra was worthy enough to wield its great power.

Soon…very soon, the War Stone would finally be his.

"Lord Mumm-Ra."

General Slithe, the lizard war chief that presided over all the clans, entered the chamber with a wrapped package in his hands. The lizard was still unnerved by the statues of his master's gods as he passed them. He quickly made his way to the Evil One's side before bowing respectfully to him.

Mumm-Ra regarded the war chief for a moment. "Do you have the object that I require?"

"Yes, My Lord," Slithe answered, handing the bundle to his master. "Though I do wonder why you have asked for it."

"It is the first step of my new plan," Mumm-Ra said, removing the wrapping from the package to reveal a lantern. It seemed to resemble a cat's head with a hollow glass ball resting in its mouth, held together by a brass handle.

Slithe seemed confused. "Why is this lantern important, master?"

Mumm-Ra began to laugh menacingly. "At this moment," he began, "Lord Lion-O is attempting to find the Tower of Omens where the fabled Book of Omens has been guarded for centuries." He began to caress the lantern. "No one possesses the knowledge of where this tower is…except, of course, the Head Clerics."

Slithe growled. "And that accursed fool Claudus murdered Lord Jaga before he could pass it down to anyone," he snarled. Yet another reason he despised Thundera's king.

"True," Mumm-Ra conceded, "but there are other ways to seek out what we need."

The Evil One's magic allowed the lantern to levitate itself over to the center of the dark pool, hovering over its violet waters. "Ancient Spirits of Evil," Mumm-Ra called out, "I call upon your power. Reach into the Astral Plane, so that I may seek out the soul that I need."

The dark pool changed its glow from violet to a light blue, numerous tendrils of spiritual energy rising from its depths. It was not long before they were sucked into the lantern, a blue glow from the glass ball growing brighter and brighter for every second that passed. A bright flash soon went off, blinding both of the room's occupants for a single moment.

The lantern returned to Mumm-Ra's hands, with the Evil One himself gleaming like a young child in a candy store. Inside the glass ball, a small cloud of vapor floated. What was strange was that the vapor was in the shape of a head.

The vapor was in the shape of the late Head Cleric Jaga.

Jaga seemed to be taking in his surroundings thoughtfully before turning to the Evil One. "You know who I am, do you not?" Mumm-Ra asked with a cruel smirk plastered on his face.

Jaga seemed grim. "Mumm-Ra," he said "what have you done to me?"

"I have ripped your soul from the Astral Plane," the Ever-Living One said, "and you will lead me to the Tower of Omens."

Jaga glared at the mummy. "I will do no such thing," he said sternly.

Mumm-Ra chuckled darkly. "I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter."

It was then that the Evil One poured his dark magic into the lantern, and the late Head Cleric's agonizing screams echoed from his prison. It was not long before a blue beam fired from the glass ball, streaming beyond the Black Pyramid's walls and into the wild lands of Third Earth. This would lead him to the tower.

"I am departing now, General," Mumm-Ra said. "You already have your orders on what to do next."

Slithe cleared his throat. "Yes, about that, Lord Mumm-Ra," the War Chief said. "I have some concerns with the assignment you gave me. I am hesitant about us recruiting these…new generals."

"I understand your concerns, Slithe," Mumm-Ra conceded. "These two have committed crimes that even I consider vile, but with Grune's untimely demise, we cannot afford to be picky on who we can recruit." He began to walk to his sarcophagus. "No if you will excuse me, I must be off."

The sarcophagus opened for its master, white tendrils wrapping around Mumm-Ra and bringing him in. As the tomb sealed shut, the walls surrounding the face that was Mumm-Ra's prison slid back. It was then that the Evil One's Storm Charger slid down a slope before emerging from the Black Pyramid, racing towards it destination.

Slithe eventually made his way to his personal hovercraft, already on his way to recruit the first new general. He only hoped that Mumm-Ra was wise to pick these two.

* * *

Before they left the Cats Lair in the ThunderTank, it took some time for the ThunderCats to drag Panthro away from his "secret project". He eventually left Ro-Bear Bill in charge until he got back.

It took some time for them to travel to the location where Jaga's knowledge pointed. Lord Lion-O and his ThunderCats soon found themselves in a thick forest with trees all around them, not to mention that there was no sign of the Tower. This soon led to Lion-O standing some feet away from the ThunderTank with the others either leaning against or sitting on their gargantuan vehicle.

"The knowledge Jaga passed down to us has gotten us this far," Cheetara said, "now it's up to Lion-O to lead us the rest of the way."

They all watched Lion-O attempting to use the sword in his hands. "So," Pumyra spoke up, "let me get this straight. You're telling me that the only way to find this tower we're all looking for is the sword."

"It's not just the Sword of Omens, Pumyra," Cheetara replied. "Lion-O also needs to rely on Sight Beyond Sight."

Pumyra looked at her with one of her brows raised. "You do remember what happened the first time he used that, right? It was when the sword was first presented to him, and it zapped you."

"The sword believed that I was interfering with the vision," Cheetara explained.

"She's got a point," Panthro added. "It wouldn't have done that unless that is what it thought."

Pumyra scoffed. "Listen to the both you," she said incredulously. "The two of you are talking about it like its alive or something."

"How do you know that it isn't?" Cheetara asked.

Pumyra looked at her as if she was insane. "Because the Sword of Omens is just that, a _sword_. There's no possible way for it to be alive, or even think!"

"Have you forgotten about Claudus?" Cheetara asked. "After Panthro took Lion-O into hiding, the sword had stopped working for him. And I know for a fact that when he tried to present it to Tygra, the sword didn't work for him either. That means that the Sword of Omens knew what Claudus did and would only allow Lion-O to be its wielder."

The puma grumbled for a bit. "Okay," she said, "so the sword can think for itself. But that's not enough for us find the freaking tower."

Cheetara nodded in agreement. "You're right," she said. "It's not, but we need to have faith that Lion-O can find it."

With that, the cheetah leapt to her feet and walked to the prince. "Hey Panthro?" Pumyra said. "What're the odds of Lion-O getting us to the Tower?"

The general shrugged. "Can't say for certain. But it's like she said, we need to have faith."

Pumyra sighed. Unfortunately for her, she wasn't the kind of person to put her faith in anything.

* * *

Lion-O felt a bit unsure on how to proceed with the Sword of Omens in his hands. The others were counting on him to use Sight Beyond Sight to help them find the Tower, but he could still remember the first time, when Cheetara was hit by that bolt. The prince didn't want that to happen again.

"Is everything okay, Lion-O?" Cheetara asked, making her way to him.

Lion-O looked away abashed. "Things could be better," he grumbled.

"Why? Is everything alright?" Cheetara saw that that the lion couldn't meet her eyes. "Is this about when you were first presented with the sword?"

Lion-O looked at her sadly. "I don't want anything like that to happen to you again," he said.

Cheetara brought herself closer, placing her hand on his shoulder as their bodies touched. "That was the sword," she said, "not you." Lion-O didn't seem to believe that. "We need you to believe in yourself, like we believe in you." She then grabbed his hand, lacing her fingers with his. "Like _I_ believe in you."

A small smile appeared on Lion-O's face. "Easier said than done," he said.

He jumped a bit when he saw an upside-down WilyKat a few inches away from him "Yuck," the kitten said with a disgusted face. "You two aren't doing any of that kissy stuff again, are you?"

"Awww," WilyKit teased as she clasped her hands. "I think it's sweet." She then proceeded to make several kissing noises.

"We weren't doing _that_," Lion-O said flustered, and Cheetara giggled slightly at his embarrassment. "She was only helping me with the sword."

WilyKit looked up to the prince's Head Cleric. "Why is the Tower so hard to find?"

WilyKat jumped from the branch he was hanging from. "Yeah," he said, landing on his feet. "Why would they keep the Book of Omens there if they could lose it?"

"That's kind of a long story," Cheetara said. "Legends say that the Book of Omens was written by Lord Chierico, the Head Cleric to King Kral, Leo's son and successor. Chierico wrote the book to contain both the knowledge of our past, and the secrets of our future. The other animals knew that this book could be more powerful than the Sword of Omens itself, and they would do anything to get their hands on it. Because of this, Kral ordered Chierico and his Clerics to hide the book away, far beyond Thundera's borders."

She continued on with the story. "To keep the book safe, the Ancient Clerics used their magic to construct a temple, the Tower of Omens. They used powerful spells to make the tower inaccessible to anyone but either the Clerics or the Lord of the ThunderCats before Lord Chierico sealed himself and his fellow Clerics inside." Cheetara turned to Lion-O. "The tower's location was something that they took to their graves."

Lion-O took a deep breath. "Okay," he said, "let's give it a try." The prince brought the sword's guard up to his eyes. "Sword of Omens," the guard already wrapping around his eyes as his teal orbs glowed, "give me Sight Beyond Sight."

The Eye of Thundera glowed as Lion-O was shown a vision. He expected to see a way to the Tower of Omens, but instead saw… "Nothing," the lion sighed. Indeed, the sword only showed him blackness.

Panthro and Pumyra approached the group as Lion-O sheathed the sword. "So," the puma said, "what happens next? Do we just try to get lucky and stumble onto it?"

A batch of fruit fell behind them before Snarf screeched from his place on a tree branch. The strange creature quickly made its way to Lion-O's leg, clinging to it in fear.

They all looked up to see a lion's head carved in stone. "I think we just did," Lion-O said. He approached a thick wall of dry vines and tugged on them, revealing the secret passage.

"How did we not see this?" Cheetara asked. This could have saved them a lot of time.

Lion-O shrugged. "I guess we didn't need the sword after all." He peered down to the creature still clinging to him. "Nice work, Snarf."

The creature cried out happily before he followed the rest of the cats into the tunnel. The dark and cold passage eventually led them to a large chamber with a narrow stone bridge. As they walked along, the Wilys couldn't help but grimace at the spikes that covered the ground below them.

They all reached the other side, a door that rested inside the mouth of another stone lion's head. A small keyhole was in the middle of what looked like an eye. Lion-O pushed against the stone, but it would not budge.

The Rebel Prince turned to Cheetara. "What do you think the chances are that they left a key behind?"

Pumyra whistled. "Oh, they left behind more than just _a_ key."

The Grand Master's daughter wasn't exaggerating. Dozens, perhaps even hundreds of keys were hanging from the ceiling on small wires. Cheetara took out her Bo staff and extended it as far as she could before knocking a few of them down.

She caught them with her hand. "We'll just have to try them all," the Head Cleric said as she approached the door.

"This could take forever," Panthro groaned. Time was something they did not have.

Cheetara placed one of the keys into the lock and turned. A large click was heard, and the sound of gears moving echoed through the chambers.

"Something tells me we don't exactly have forever," Pumyra said gloomily.

Their bridge began to retract from beneath them, and it wasn't long before the floor under their feet was gone. Panthro quickly grabbed on the bottom of the door with WilyKat clinging to his back, Lion-O holding on to his waist, and Cheetara grabbing onto his leg. Pumyra found herself holding onto the panther's other leg with Snarf held tightly in her grip and WilyKit around her waist.

Lord Lion-O looked down to the spikes below them before he swore. "Whiskers."


	4. Chapter IV: The Tower Part Two

**I know I've already said this…but, I don't own ThunderCats.**

_ThunderCats: War of Kings_

_Chapter IV: The Tower-Part Two_

Things were not boding well for Lord Lion-O and his ThunderCats, especially since there was the small chance that they were about to be skewered by the spikes below. Everyone strained to keep their grips as their muscles became sore. They needed to unlock the door and fast.

"Find the key!" Panthro shouted desperately. He couldn't hold on for much longer.

It was then that the Wilys began climbing. "Leave this to the masters," Kat said with Kit nodding. They then stood on top of Panthro's shoulders.

"Hurry!" Lion-O called out to them. "There's hundreds to pick from."

Kit allowed her brother to stand on her own shoulders. "Why waste time picking out a key—"

"—when you can just pick the lock," WilyKat finished for her. He listened closely as he went to work with his tools.

With one last turn, Kat heard a click and the door slid open. The Wilys were the first ones to climb into the new passage, then Cheetara, Pumyra with Snarf, and Lion-O. The prince then helped Panthro up from the ledge before the door closed behind them.

The ThunderCats stared down the large, stone hexagonal hallway; a large stone disk was blocking their exit. "The book could be just beyond that wall," Lion-O said, hoping that there would be an end to this.

To Panthro, it seemed simple enough; he could just push the disk out of the way. Piece of cake! The general stepped forward, only to activate a switch on the floor. He was just a few centimeters away when the razor-sharp blades spun out. The panther would have been minced meat if it wasn't for Cheetara pulling him away in the nick-of-time.

Everyone looked grimly at the hallway; many more blades were spinning every few feet. Lion-O felt a lump form in his throat. There was only one person in their group who could get past these blades, and he didn't like that she would risk her life to do it. The prince gave a silent plea to the gods that she wouldn't go through with it.

Unfortunately, the gods didn't seem to listen to him. "Legends say that the Ancient Clerics placed traps along the way to the Tower," Cheetara said. "They were meant to keep those who were unworthy away from the Book of Omens."

Panthro gulped. "Then this whole place is just one big deathtrap," he said with grim realization.

Cheetara smirked coyly. "That's why you've got to move fast!"

The Head Cleric quickly timed the rotation of the blades before using her speed. She had already passed through two blades; a few strands of her hair were cut on the second one. She recovered quickly before she almost ran straight into the third blade. Cheetara was able to easily avoid the remaining blades, having to quickly slide on her knees when she reached one that would have cut her at the midsection.

The Head Clerics stood up as she took out her Bo staff. It extended in her hands, pushing against the two switches on the wall. The disk behind her slid open, revealing a new passage, while the blades stopped and retracted back into the walls.

The others ran down the hallway. "Have I told you how much I love you?" Lion-O asked as he passed Cheetara. The others ran past before she withdrew her staff and went through the passage, the disk sealing the entrance behind her.

* * *

Mumm-Ra's Storm Charger came to a halt in the middle of the dense forest, the Evil One disembarking moments later. The light from his lantern shone north, supposedly leading him to the Tower of Omens and the book.

Unfortunately, Jaga's soul had been leading him "north" for the past few days or so. By now, Mumm-Ra should have caught up with Lord Lion-O and those pathetic ThunderCats.

The Evil One turned the lantern towards him. "We should have arrived at the tower by now," Mumm-Ra snarled. "You are leading me in circles."

Even in his possession, Lord Jaga looked calm in his prison. "Nonsense," the late Head Cleric said. "I am your prisoner, Lord Mumm-Ra. I have no choice but to lead you to both the tower _and_ the Book of Omens."

The mummy glared at the trapped soul. "Your mouth may lie to me, Jaga the Wise, but your soul will tell me the truth. I will have the Book of Omens, and you _will_ lead me to it."

It was then that Mumm-Ra poured more of his black magic into Jaga's prison. The metaphysical pain was unbearable.

Jaga controlled his screams. "The book is beyond your reach," he said. "Lion-O will beat you to it, and he will put an end to you once and for all. It is his destiny."

The late Head Cleric screamed in agony for a few moments before the glass ball glowed brightly. A new beam of light shot out of the lantern, this time pointing to the east. An evil smile grew on Mumm-Ra's face. He was close to the book now, and no one, not even Lord Lion-O, would be able to stop him.

* * *

The next room the ThunderCats wandered into was a strange one. A pool of water shone in the center of the room, a beam of light being reflected off the surface. Lion-O walked closer to the small pool, only to see what seemed like piles upon piles of gold coins covering the bottom.

Unfortunately, both Wilys saw the gold as well. The twins eagerly scampered to the pool and could not help but gawk downwards. "Look at all that treasure!" Kit exclaimed as the others came to investigate.

"We're rich!" Kat shouted out, drawing his hand back.

It was only then that Lion-O knew what would happen. "Kat!" he called out. "Wait!"

But it was already too late. WilyKat had thrust his hand into the pool, ripples flowing over the water's surface. The miniscule waves eventually reached the beam of light, moving as if in some sort of dance as the ripples went by. The reflected beam moved away from the stone lion head's mouth before its eyes glowed red.

There were other stone lion heads and water started to fall from their mouths. It was not long before water started flowing over the walls as well. Lion-O and the others wasted no time in scaling the walls, hoping to find some sort of sanctuary from this latest trap.

Kit pulled herself up to a platform, seeing something she never expected to ever see. Panthro, a mighty general who once served under Claudus, was cowering in fear against the wall, his knees pulled up to his chest. "Are you okay, Panthro?" the Wily sister asked, worried.

The big cat gulped. "I never told any of you guys this, but," he stood straight up and gulped again, "I can't swim."

"What?" Lion-O's voice boomed from across the chamber. "Panthro, you raised me since I was born! How did I never learn about this?"

"Why do you think I had Old Nan take you up to the creek and teach you how?" the general asked.

"I thought it was because you were too busy running the Ring!"

They had no time to argue any further; the water was quickly rising up to meet them. It was only moments before they were desperately trying to keep themselves afloat, aware that they were getting ever closer to ceiling.

It did not take Pumyra long to see the ceiling's grate. "That looks like a way out of here," she said, pointing upwards for the other cats to see. "If we wait for the water to rise, we can float our way to the top."

Cheetara extended her Bo staff long enough to reach the grate. She pushed with all of the strength she could spare, but it would not budge. "I can't open it from this side!"

Panthro flailed his arms rapidly, desperately trying to stay above the water. "Lion-O!" he called out to the prince. "I'm not gonna make it, Kid. Promise me you'll take good care of yourself."

It was then Lion-O saw the one cat who he would always consider to be his father sink below the water's surface. The prince dove down, trying as hard as he could to reach the panther. He only watched as his mentor sunk further and further into the chamber's cold depths.

Lion-O only surfaced when he needed air. His face looked grim when he finally spoke. "Panthro's gone."

* * *

It only took a few moments for Panthro to sink all the way down to the bottom, hovering just a few inches over the gold coins that caused this whole mess. That was when he noticed the hatch to the right. He pulled hard on the metal ring and a circular passage was revealed to him.

It was dark and cold when Panthro began to swim through the small tunnel. When he began to climb, the panther broke through the water's surface and he enjoyed a gasp full of air. He kept climbing until he had to crawl his way through the darkness.

Panthro pushed against the other hatch, finally finding an end to this tunnel. Hopefully, there would be a way to help the others. The hatch fell to the floor as he breathed heavily, resting his sore muscles for only a bit.

That was when Panthro saw the hands pushing their way through the grate. He quickly made his way over and with one strong pull, picked the grate up and threw it away.

Lion-O was the first one to see his mentor. "Panthro! You're alive!"

"Come on," the panther said, helping the lion out of the water. Both of them then helped pull the others out the water, all of them glad to be saved from being drowned. "Guess not being able to swim has its advantages."

Lion-O was the first one to notice the light coming through the opening on the room's far side. "Who wants to bet that leads to the tower?" he asked.

They all followed him through the exit, cliff walls stretching behind them. They saw a dense tree line below them, and a waterfall cascaded down on the other side. Other than that, there was nothing. There was no sign of any sort of tower or temple anywhere.

Lion-O balled his fists. "There's nothing here!" he said harshly. "Even after all those traps, we find nothing but _more_ forests. Maybe no one found this tower because it doesn't exist."

Cheetara placed her hand over one of his fists, the cheetah's touch soothing some of his anger. "Or maybe it takes more than getting past those traps to find the tower," she said. "I believe in you, Lion-O. Now all you need to do is believe in yourself."

And just like that, his anger was gone. Lion-O couldn't bear to imagine what he would do without Cheetara by his side. She was the one thing that kept him sane through this whole ordeal. She was putting a lot of faith into him, and the Rebel Prince would not disappoint her.

Lion-O drew the Sword of Omens from his Claw Shield and once again brought the guard up to eye level. The guard was already wrapping around his eyes as his teal eyes began to glow. "Sword of Omens," the lion said, "give me Sight Beyond Sight."

The Eye of Thundera flashed a bright red as it gave Lion-O a vision. At first, Lion-O saw himself standing at the edge with the sword in his hands. His gaze then shifted downward, revealing a familiar brown square just like the ones from the blade filled hallway.

Lion-O returned the sword to its sheath after the vision faded. "There's a switch right below us," he said. The prince peered over the edge and saw the switch several feet down. "I just don't know how we're going to reach it."

"I think I have something for that," Pumyra piped up. They watched her take out some sort of grip from the bag on her waist. "It's a prototype the Berbils asked me to field test. They called it the 'Cats Tail'."

Pumyra launched it forward and a whipcord emerged from the grip. Using it as a whip, the puma struck the switch with the cord. The stone square receded into the cliff face and a great rumbling could be heard.

Across the way, three onyx cats' heads emerged from behind the waterfall. The three heads parted the cascading falls, revealing to the ThunderCats a tremendous sight to behold. Starting from a circular base, the tower extended high upwards, with the famous Thunderian emblem at the top of the structure. A stone pathway rose up to meet the cats as they all became aware of the fact that they had done something that no one has ever done.

They had found the fabled Tower of Omens.


	5. Chapter V: The Tower Part Three

**You guys know the drill, I do not own ThunderCats!**

_**ThunderCats: War of Kings**_

_**Chapter V: The Tower-Part Three**_

They called it the Hole. It was the most brutal prison Third Earth had ever seen. Everyone knew that when any new prisoner went in, they would never see the light of day again.

The Hole had a reputation to hold the most dangerous criminals from all of Third Earth's nations. It was home to warmongers and murderers, sociopaths and psychos. Every guard knew not to underestimate the prisoners; otherwise, they would be responsible for any escapee.

Warden Canis was prepared when he walked down the cellblock, past the other scum that dared to walk the same ground he did. The prisoner he was on his way to see was the vilest, most despicable _thing_—that was the only way he could describe someone so heinous—that was ever spawned. But, the bulldog thought, what could you expect from a _jackalman_?

Canis was getting close now, closer to one of the foulest criminals to ever live. Many locks secured the door to the isolated cell, ensuring that its occupant would never leave its confines. The two guards that were with the warden withdrew two keys each from their pockets. They quickly undid the locks and opened the cell.

In the center, safely secured by numerous leather straps, chains, and a muzzle, was Kaynar. He was known to some as the Mad Jackal of the Bloody Desert, or as the families of his victims called him, Kaynar the Carver.

Canis smirked at the confined jackalman. "So," he said, "how are we doing today, Kaynar?"

As always, the muzzle over the prisoner's mouth kept him from replying. It was a mocking jeer that the warden always made when he would come in. By the vicious look in those fierce yellow eyes that just _screamed_ bloody murder, Kaynar did not appreciate being mocked.

Canis gave a mocking smirk. "You know why you're here, don't you, Kaynar?" he asked jeeringly. "I wasn't exactly thrilled when my guards told me that you killed nine of your fellow prisoners…with your spoon."

The mad jackalman's eyes shone with glee. If there was one thing that Kaynar loved, it was being recognized by his achievements. They knew of the blood he spilled, and that was why they feared him. Kaynar loved fear, and he loved that they feared _him_.

"Boys?" Canis called to the guards behind. "I'm getting tired of this scum slaughtering our livelihood; what should we do about him?" He waited for some time, but received no answer. "Boys?"

The warden soon found himself being restrained by two Lizards. In their hands were bloodstained swords, telling him that his guards were most likely dead. Canis saw a larger Lizard walk past him and his captors, obviously their leader.

General Slithe stood in front of the restrained Jackalman. "Kaynar the Carver," the War Chief said, "you have been chosen for a great honor. Lord Mumm-Ra has chosen you to become his newest General. Should you accept, and when Mumm-Ra successfully conquers all of Third Earth, you shall receive power and riches beyond your imagination."

It was then Slithe drew a dagger and held it against the prisoner's throat. "But, should you refuse this great honor, to ensure our secrecy, I will have no choice but to kill you here and now. So, let me ask you, do you accept?"

The War Chief removed the muzzle. Everything was quiet for a moment, silence hanging over all those that stood in the cell. But slowly, a demented chuckle emanated from the center of the Jackalman's throat.

"You have guts, Lizard," Kaynar said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "No one has ever been brave or _crazy_ enough to pull a knife out on me. Tell your 'Lord Mumm-Ra' that I'll be his General, but that he better pay up on his end of the bargain."

"Agreed," Slithe nodded before cutting the Carver free.

The chains and leather straps fell uselessly to the floor, no longer holding back their prisoner. The mad Jackalman began to stretch his limbs, awakening his sleeping muscles. Seeing the warden still restrained by the two Lizard soldiers, Kaynar swiped the dagger from Slithe's hand.

"Move aside," the mad Jackalman said to the lizards. They did as they were told while Canis looked up in fear. "How are you doing today, Warden?" he asked, his eyes shining with demented glee as he raised the blade to the bulldog's forehead. "No matter what your answer is, it's about to get a whole lot worse."

The prison halls were filled with the warden's painful screams, echoing far beyond the block.

* * *

Walking along the stone pathway, Lion-O and his fellow ThunderCats looked upon the majesty that was the Tower of Omens. After months of searching, they were close to the secrets that could lead to Mumm-Ra's defeat.

"I can't believe that we actually found this place," Panthro said, entering through the cat head entrance along with the others.

Once they entered the tower's central chamber, they stared upward toward the huge stone pillar in the center. Wooden beams circled the pillar, acting as a staircase to the tower's highest peak.

"The book has to be up there," Pumyra said. She had to admit, it was going to be quite the climb up.

Lion-O felt Cheetara placing her hand on his shoulder. "See, Lion-O," she said to him, "I knew you could do it."

"Indeed he did," a raspy voice spoke up. "Unfortunately for him, it will be the last thing he will ever do."

The ThunderCats looked upon this intruder with dread. A dried up husk covered in bandages sported a red cloak, his blood red eyes reflecting the evil in his blackened soul. He held a lantern in his hand, with the glass sphere inhabited by…no, it couldn't be!

"I led him right to you," the late Head Cleric said regrettably. "I'm so sorry."

Cheetara looked on with wide eyes. "Jaga," she said, hardly believing what she was seeing, "you're alive."

Mumm-Ra chuckled darkly. "Hardly," he said. "He's nothing more than vapor in a jar." He held the lantern high above him. "And now, I no longer have a use for him."

They all watched in horror as the mummy threw the lantern downward. Using her speed, Cheetara easily caught Jaga's prison, sliding to a stop a moment later. With a grunt of dissatisfaction, Mumm-Ra blasted her with a beam of dark magic, sending the cheetah flying into the stone pillar.

Lion-O heard her groan of pain. "Cheetara!"

He found himself being held back by Pumyra. "You need to get to the book," she said pointing upwards.

"Go," Panthro said, swinging his nunchaku. "I'll deal with Mumm-Ra."

As Lion-O ran off, Panthro charged at the mummy, swing wildly with his weapon. The Evil One easily dodged and weaved away from the panther's attacks. Mumm-Ra sent a blast of his dark magic at the cat, but Panthro merely shrugged it off.

"It going to take more than that to take me down, you old bag of bones," Panthro said boldly.

"Do not be deceived by my humble appearance," the mummy said cryptically. "You will find my true form more powerful than you can possibly imagine." It was then that a black aura surrounded him. _**"Ancient Spirits of Evil, transform this decayed form into Mumm-Ra, the Ever-Living!"**_

Dark lightning surged around his body, and where once stood the withered husk that was Mumm-Ra was now a hulking monster with leathery demonic wings. Twin snakes adorned the helmet that rested on the Ever-Living's head. Even Snarf was cowering at the sight of this walking nightmare.

Small beams of energy began raining around Panthro, surrounding him on all sides. Mumm-Ra took advantage of his vulnerability and shot a breath of dark magic from his mouth, sending the general sliding next to the kittens.

Both Wilys stood defiantly in front of Mumm-Ra, protecting the injured panther behind them. The Ever-Living saw these two as nothing more than mere pests. With a flap of his demonic wings, he soared upward while the kittens were knocked down by the wind.

Mumm-Ra saw Lion-O quickly running up the pillar, using the wooden beams, with Pumyra a few flights below him. The mummy was quick to fire more energy bolts from his mouth, the wooden beam below the puma being destroyed, causing her to jump to a nearby platform.

Mumm-Ra was quickly gaining on Lion-O when the arrow struck his shoulder. It was then that Pumyra took advantage of the mummy's pain to grab a hold of his foot, slowing down his progress. All the Ever-Living had to do was to shake her loose with his leg.

"You're not gonna get rid of me that easily," Pumyra said, wrapping her Cat's Tail whipcord around his leg.

Mumm-Ra snarled at her persistence before shooting a powerful blast from his mouth. The force of the blast made Pumyra loose her grip, leaving her to fall below. Thinking quickly, the puma drew two arrows from her quiver and dug the diamond-hard arrowheads into the stone. One quick look downward allowed her to see Panthro with the twins and Snarf climbing up, and she began her own trek as well.

* * *

It wasn't long before Lion-O finally reached the top of the tower, taking a moment to rest the sore muscles in his legs. He searched around the open-air chamber, his gaze eventually leading him upward. In a stone pedestal high above him, the Book of Omens hovered in the center, waiting to be finally claimed after centuries of waiting.

Lion-O was suddenly filled with dread as he saw Mumm-Ra fly into the chamber. "The Book of Omens and all of its power belong to me," the Ever-Living roared.

Lion-O drew the Sword of Omens from his Claw Shield, the Eye of Thundera glowing a bright red while the blade surged with lightning. "THUNDERCATS, HO!"

Back at the tower's bottom, Cheetara rose from the ground, still holding Jaga's lantern in her hands. Her eyes flashed gold for a split-second before she ran, disappearing in a golden blur. This was the fastest the cheetah had ever run, circling the tower's walls as she made her way to the top. Panthro, the Wilys, and Pumyra watched in amazement as the Head Cleric raced past them.

"Of course she gets the _easy_ way up," Pumyra grumbled before resuming her climb.

* * *

Lion-O was doing his best to dodge and avoid the shockwaves Mumm-Ra was firing at him. The mummy eventually fired arcs of dark lightning at the Rebel Prince, who was able to block the attack with his Claw Shield.

Mumm-Ra was suddenly shocked to see Cheetara jumping into the chamber, delivering a quick kick to his head. The blow knocked him back a bit, and the mummy felt his anger grow. The Ever-Living shot a blast at the cheetah, making her drop Jaga's lantern and pushing her over the platform's edge, barely able to catch the ledge.

"Cheetara!" Lion-O called out rushing to the ledge. "Hang on!"

Mumm-Ra took advantage of the distracted prince to breathe out another blast of dark energy. Lion-O cried out in pain as the attack met its mark. The lion groaned as he slumped onto the ground.

Mumm-Ra laughed. "So predictable, just like Leo once was."

Lion-O managed to stare hard at the mummy. "What do you know about Leo?" he asked grunting.

The Ever-Living gave an evil smirk. "Only that he was as big a fool as you are."

From his hands, dark lightning arced and struck the prince. Lion-O screamed in agonizing pain as the dark magic surged through his body. Jaga watched this from his prison.

"He is not ready," the late Head Cleric said. "Lion-O must be saved. He must become the _Light_."

From his lantern prison, Jaga began to glow brightly, encasing the chamber in a blinding flash. Mumm-Ra paused in his attack in order to scream in agony at his weakness, the light overpowering the mummy. He tried using his wings to shield him, only for his form to shrink smaller and smaller.

Mumm-Ra eventually changed into a black crow, flying quickly away out of the tower. "The book shall be mine!" the crow cawed.

With the light dimming and Mumm-Ra gone, Lion-O made his way to Cheetara, helping her up back to the platform as the others finally reached the top. Both the lion and cheetah turned to see what remained of Jaga's prison. The glass ball in the lantern's center was nothing but shards of glass.

"Jaga," Lion-O said suddenly.

Cheetara cradled the lantern's remain. "Jaga sacrificed himself for all of us," she looked to her prince, "for you, Lion-O."

Lion-O looked down to the ground as an aura of sadness surrounded them all. Jaga had been lost again, but this time, for a purpose. The former Head Cleric had given up his life to give them all a chance to finally defeat Mumm-Ra. Still, it did not do anything to make him feel better.

"Look," Pumyra suddenly said.

Almost unseen, a small speck of green light flew out from Jaga's lantern, floating amongst them until flying upward. The green light merged itself into the Book of Omens. A few loud clicks signaled the pedestal being lowered to the platform below, bringing the book to their reach.

It was almost as if he was in a dream, with Lion-O walking to the pedestal. The red gem in the center of the eight-pointed star, which adorned the book's cover, gleamed in the light as the prince took it in his hands.

The Rebel Prince turned to the other ThunderCats. "At last," he said, "we have everything we need to defeat Mumm-Ra."

Cheetara watched her prince open the book, only for his eyes to widen in shock. "Lion-O, what is it? What does the book say?"

He looked to her before addressing them all. "There's nothing," he said, almost as if he didn't believe what he was seeing. "The pages are all blank."


	6. Chapter VI: Scorned

**I hate to say this, but I do not own ThunderCats.**

_**ThunderCats: War of Kings**_

_**Chapter VI: Scorned**_

Most people would be afraid if they were being held upside down by their feet with the ground hundreds of feet below them. Addicus, however, was not _most_ people.

This Monkian had been through much in his life. Banished from his tribe after killing his own father in his lust for power, he became a mercenary and hired himself out to anyone with the right amount of coin. He eventually formed his own company of mercenaries like himself, and they soon earned a reputation for being one of the most brutal and ruthless companies of sell-swords on Third Earth.

This went on for some time until Addicus and his men were hired by the Lizards to take down a Thunderian Army outpost. Unfortunately for them, these Cats proved themselves to be resourceful. Not only did they manage to defend themselves from Addicus's men, they also utterly annihilated every single last one of them, with their Monkian leader barely able to escape.

Addicus had been wandering ever since that day, committing random acts of violence against anyone he perceived to be his enemy. Over time, his attacks became more brutal, evolving to the point where many said that he would eat some of his victims. They would say that this Monkian had made himself a cannibal.

This all eventually led to Addicus being where he was now. A group composed of many birds stood on a wooden platform several feet away from him; a single rope next to the leader was all that kept the Monkian from falling.

The leader stepped forward. "Addicus of the Monkians," he said, "you have been found guilty of the heinous crimes that you have committed against the Bird Kingdom and have been condemned to death. Do you have any last words before your sentence is passed?"

The Monkian had refused a priest to confess his sins to, showing that he was not the type to seek redemption or forgiveness for what he had done. This led the birds to wonder if he would save this for his execution.

Addicus merely grunted. "You better hope that fall kills me."

The bird leader sighed. It was sad really. They did not want to end the life of this miserable soul, but the laws of their nation were clear. They could not allow such a creature to exist in this world anymore.

Reluctantly, the leader used his staff to snap the rope, leading the Monkian to fall to his fate. It was a sad day when the birds were forced end life instead of preserving it. They only hoped that wherever the afterlife took Addicus, that maybe he would find some form of peace.

However, in that next moment, all the birds could feel was fear, disbelief, and dread.

They all watched as some strange metal craft lifted up from below their platform. A Lizard seemed to be standing on the bow of the craft. Unfortunately, Addicus seemed to be standing beside him.

Slithe turned to him. "Listen to me carefully, Monkian," the War Chief said. "You have been chosen by Lord Mumm-Ra himself to serve as one of his new generals. If you refuse this great honor, I will have no choice but to finish what your _friends_ over there started. What do you say?"

The Monkian chuckled for a bit. "Tell your Mumm-Ra I will serve him," Addicus said, "but first I have some business."

Addicus turned to the group of birds. "They seemed to forget to give me a last meal this morning, and I'm awfully hungry," he said, rubbing his own belly. "It also seems that I have suddenly developed a craving for _bird_."

Addicus jumped from the craft, and the screams of all the birds present soon echoed through the wind and skies.

* * *

It took all of Tygra's willpower to keep himself awake during the council meeting. General Lynx-O helped by nudging his side once in a while, but that helped only a little bit.

Lately, Tygra's sleep had been plagued with dreams, only for them to quickly turn to nightmares. Cheetara always came to him in those dreams; her arms open to invite him into a loving embrace. The tiger would always go to her, only for Lion-O to appear behind the cheetah with a cruel and evil smirk. He always awoke with a start when the lion had shoved the very blade of the Sword of Omens through his love's chest.

That nightmare, among many others where the Rebel Prince appeared, had kept him up most nights to where it was becoming a problem. Tygra needed to find a way to deal with these dreams before they began to affect his health.

Before the council stood Captain Onca, a panther who was in charge of the army's first garrison. "So tell us, Captain," King Claudus began, "what exactly happened when you reached the Coryi settlement?"

Onca seemed unsure of how to explain himself. "As the members of the council may or may not be aware of," the Captain began, "we were sent to Coryi to reinforce Governor Lydekker's defenses. However, when we arrived, there seemed to be a complication."

Captain Onca took a deep breath before continuing on with his story. "We found ourselves being confronted by at least two dozen soldiers of the Order of the Hand. Their Captain told us that Governor Lydekker had already pledged his support to the Rebel Prince, Lion-O. The same Captain told us that if we left peacefully, we would not be harmed in any way."

"Unfortunately," Onca said, "one of my men thought he could kill all those soldiers armed with _Technology_ with just his sword. They didn't kill him; just shot him in the leg. Even after what he did, they still let us go peacefully so we could get him to a healer in the next village."

"Captain," one of the councilors said, "are you for certain that Governor Lydekker is now supporting Lion-O? Couldn't they have taken over the settlement and are now forcibly occupying it?"

"I do not believe so," Onca answered without hesitation. "Those soldiers of the Order of the Hand could have easily killed us right outside their gates and go back inside for a luncheon, but they didn't. Instead, they showed us mercy, as any honorable cat would do."

Claudus chuckled. "That is quite the jest, Captain," he said. "The idea of those traitors having any sort of honor is laughable."

Onca seemed insulted by his king's words. "I make no jests, Your Majesty," the Captain said. "What exactly did you expect me to do?"

"I expected you to do your duty," Claudus roared. "I expected you to fight to the last man, until you were all dead or victory was yours. Even if you were all slain, you would at least have died with honor."

"Father," Tygra said, attempting to calm the king down, "it wasn't his fault. He was only thinking of his men."

"HE WAS ONLY THINKING OF HIS OWN COWARDICE!" Claudus roared out louder than he had ever been. The king then calmed down as all those in the council chamber were staring at him with shock in their eyes. "I…I am sorry, Captain," he said to the panther. "This is the hardest war I have ever fought. Please accept my apology; I did not mean what I said. You are dismissed."

The captain bowed. "I accept your apology, Your Majesty." He then let himself out of the chamber.

Claudus sighed, rubbing his eyes with both hands. "Is there any other business to attend to before we are adjourned?"

One councilor brought out a sealed envelope. "Your Majesty, this letter came in from—"

"I swear to all the gods," Claudus groaned, "if this is another offer from Lord Ratar-O, I will—"

"It's not from Mount Plun-Darr," the councilor said. "I think you need to take a look at this, Your Majesty."

Claudus quickly took the envelope from his hands and broke its seal. The king took the letter out, his eyes quickly scanning its contents. A smirk slowly grew on the lion's mouth as he read on.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," Claudus mumbled. "Tygra, what do you know of the Cavahna settlement?"

The Crown Prince pondered for a bit. "Isn't that the settlement governed by Lady Kotiya?"

"The very same," Claudus said. "I'm sending you and General Lynx-O with a full regiment of our finest soldiers to her settlement immediately."

"May I ask why, Your Majesty?" General Lynx-O asked. All of a sudden, he had a very bad feeling about all of this.

"It seems that Lion-O has recently tried to seek out her support," Claudus said. "As a loyal subject of Thundera, she, of course, refused. But," the king couldn't hide his smile, "she is offering us a way to end this rebellion once and for all. Lady Kotiya is offering us the location to the Order of the Hand's so-called 'Cat's Lair'."


	7. Chapter VII: Legacy

**I don't own ThunderCats, WB does!**

_**ThunderCats: War of Kings**_

_**Chapter VII: Legacy**_

Communicating with Valern right outside the Tower of Omens was no problem. Though the ThunderTank had its own comm system, it was on the other side of the forest, and the tank was too big for them to maneuver through the tight passages that led them to the tower. There was also the risk of Mumm-Ra returning and trying to reclaim the Book of Omens.

Luckily for the ThunderCats, Pumyra had a wireless comm device complete with its own holographic projector. It was able to uplink to the ThunderTank and relay all communication to the Cat's Lair.

While Panthro kept the Wilys busy, Cheetara and Pumyra were already conversing with Valern, his holographic projection hovering over the steel orb that lay on the ground. From what they could tell, he was deep in thought over what they told him.

"_Mumm-Ra,"_ the Grand Master said, _"so he's finally revealed himself. At least you all managed to fight him off."_

"We couldn't have won without Jaga," Cheetara said, holding the remains of the lantern that held him. "He sacrificed himself to save us all."

Valern nodded solemnly. _"We will never forget what he did for the cause. He was a true Cleric in the end."_ He cleared his throat. _"But now, we must make preparations against Mumm-Ra. Have you learned anything from the Book of Omens?"_

"Father," Pumyra said, "that may be a problem."

"Pumyra!" Cheetara interjected quickly. "Maybe we should wait before we have all the answers."

The puma rounded on the Head Cleric. "He needs to know, Cheetara. This is too important to keep hidden."

"_What are you two talking about?"_ Valern asked. _"Is this about the book?"_

Cheetara sighed. "Yes," she said, "it is. When Lion-O opened the book, we found the pages to be…blank."

Valern looked as if cold water was poured on him _"Blank? How can this be? How can the ancient Clerics write a book with _blank_ pages?"_

"Maybe there is more to this than we think," Cheetara tried to reassure the Grand Master. "We had to get past traps to get to both the tower and the Book of Omens. Perhaps the Clerics left behind some way for us to read the book."

"_We can only hope for something like that,"_ Valern sighed. _"There is something else we need to discuss. We have received new reports from our spies in the Royal Palace. It seems that Kotiya is now showing her support for Claudus."_

"I'm not surprised about that," Pumyra said, a coy smirk on her lips as she turned to the cheetah, "especially with that little performance you and Lion-O did."

"_There's more," _Valern continued._ "She is also offering Claudus the location of the Cat's Lair."_

The eyes of both women went wide with shock. "What?" Pumyra shouted out. "You can't be serious! She can't know where it is!"

"Pumyra's right," Cheetara said. "We ensured that she was blindfolded when she came to the Cat's Lair."

"_In any case,"_ Valern said, _"we've already sent a scouting party to keep an eye on her settlement. If we see Thunderian troops moving to the Cat's Lair, we'll do what's necessary to defend it. In the meantime, concentrate on the Book of Omens. Lord Lion-O managed to find it; I have no doubt he will find a way to unlock its secrets."_

With that, the Grand Master signed off, his holographic projection disappearing. Pumyra picked up the steel orb. "So what now?" she asked. "Not only do we have Mumm-Ra to worry about, but Kotiya's trying to offer us up to Claudus on a silver platter."

"Don't worry about her," Cheetara said. "We just need to concentrate on the book and Mumm-Ra. One problem at a time."

Pumyra nodded in understanding, but the Head Cleric was unsure of her own words. Cheetara looked up to see the top of the tower, to where her prince was trying to discover the secrets behind the ancient tome.

* * *

Snarf mewled as he watched Lion-O trying to tinker with the ancient book, the prince hoping to discover some way of reading the tome. They needed to discover a way to fight Mumm-Ra, and this book was no help at all.

Snarf's mewls became louder. "I'm not going to break the Book of Omens," Lion-O said. "I'm just trying to find a way to read it."

Lion-O was so busy inspecting the tome, he did not notice the small jewel on the cover beginning to glow. It was then that an invisible force threw him back, and he landed hard on the ground.

Snarf carefully approached his master's unconscious body, but scampered back a bit as he saw ghostly hands appear out of the book. These spectral tendrils enveloped Lion-O before they began to pull back. They carried with them a blue transparent image of Lion-O, drawing his spirit into the book.

Snarf shrieked as he ran down to the bottom of the tower.

* * *

_Lion-O stood in the middle of a strange realm. Waves of energy passed him as an invisible force kept him from falling into the blackness around him. This was strange; he remembered being in the Tower of Omens before coming here. But where was here?_

"_What kind of place is this?" Lion-O asked himself._

"_You are within the Book of Omens, Lion-O," a familiar elderly voice said. The lion turned to see Jaga the Wise floating not too far away from him._

"_Jaga?" Lion-O called out to the late Head Cleric. "What is the book? Is it Technology?"_

"_Yes, and no," Jaga said cryptically. "The Book of Omens is a fusion of both Magic and Technology. It is an all-knowing, ever-expanding repository for all of Third Earth's knowledge. Here you will learn the secret behind both Mumm-Ra and the Sword of Omens."_

"_How?" Lion-O asked._

"_You will observe your ancestor, Leo," Jaga said. "You will watch as he overthrows Mumm-Ra and becomes the first Lord of the ThunderCats. But I warn you, there are some things you will learn that you will not expect."_

_With a wave of Jaga's staff, Lion-O's surroundings began to change. The darkness turned into gleaming metal as the invisible air gave way to matter. It was not long before the prince found himself in a large chamber with four statues surrounding him._

_A few beeps were heard as Lion-O turned to see a cat standing in front of a nearby console. Lion-O watched the lion with flowing red hair and blue eyes operating his station, fingers dancing over the holographic display._

_Lion-O approached to take a closer look at the lion. He could have sworn that whoever this was, he could have been the prince's twin. Suddenly, it all came together, like the final puzzle piece being placed. This lion was his ancestor Leo, the first Lord of the ThunderCats and founder of Thundera._

_Lion-O watched as an image appeared over the console; the prince found himself looking at a projection of a red cube-shaped jewel with a black slit in its center._

"_Strange," Lion-O said, his gaze on the image. "That looks like the Eye of Thundera."_

"_Beautiful, isn't it, Leo?"_

_That voice chilled Lion-O to the bone. He watched as his ancestor turned to Mumm-Ra—in his Ever-Living form—and bowed to the approaching evil. "Yes, Lord Mumm-Ra, it is," Leo said._

_That last statement almost sent Lion-O reeling. Lord Mumm-Ra? Leo _served_ Mumm-Ra?_

"_There is more to the War Stone than just its beauty, Leo," Mumm-Ra said, gazing down at the image. "It carries a power that will finally allow me to establish my domain throughout the entire cosmos."_

_It was then that Lion-O noticed the black gauntlet on the Evil One's left arm. Mumm-Ra drew a strange sword from it. "Once I place the stone within the Sword of Plun-Darr, I shall become unstoppable." Mumm-Ra sheathed a sword back into the gauntlet. "Have our scanners picked up its location?"_

_Leo interacted with his console for a bit. "Here, My Lord," Lion-O's ancestor said, a large image of a solar system appearing. It then zoomed in closer to one of the worlds. "We've been able to detect traces of the War Stone's energy on this system's third planet. Though most of its surface is covered in arid plains, it still has a few oceans."_

"_I want a full sweep of the planet before we send in our main force," Mumm-Ra said. "Leo, go down to the slave holds and prepare our forces for invasion. Also, inform Captain Tygus to prepare his men."_

_Lion-O watched his ancestor bow to his master before departing the chamber. As the prince followed the apparition, many questions plagued his mind. Why was Leo serving Mumm-Ra? History said that he rebelled against him to free his people and the other animals from enslavement. Why would he willingly serve him?_

_Through the triangular halls, Lion-O's ancestor eventually approached a tall and slender female panther in a uniform that matched the lion's. "Leo," she called out to him, "where have you been?"_

"_We have new orders, Panthera," Leo said. Lion-O was surprised to seeing his ancestor address his future wife and queen as some sort of subordinate. "We need to prepare the invasion forces; the War Stone has finally been found."_

"_So," Panthera said, walking beside him, "the end is finally here."_

_Lion-O watched his ancestor look around for a bit. "No," Leo said, "it's only the beginning, Panthera."_

_The prince watched both of his ancestors walk through the halls before they finally reached their destination. Lion-O stood frozen in shock at what he witnessed before him. On opposing sides were animals of all varieties imprisoned in large holding cells blocked off by force-fields._

_Leo motioned for a cat in black full-body armor. "Lord Mumm-Ra wants the entire planet scoured, no stone left unturned. I want Jackalmen and Lizards on land, Vultures in the air, and TigerSharks in the sea."_

_The armored cat saluted before relaying this command to the others. Lion-O watched them all gather the selected animals in a line as they placed metal collars around each one of them._

"_I get nervous when they're all out here like this," Leo said._

"_Yeah," Panthera agreed, "but the shock collars give me some comfort."_

_Shock collars? Lion-O looked to see bands of metal wrapping around the necks of the animals. The prince gulped at the thought of something so small being so deadly._

_That was when Lion-O began to hear grunts and alarmed shouts as a fight broke out between a large Lizard and a Jackalman, which lead to some of the other animals revolting as well. "Damn it," Leo shouted over the commotion. "Get them under control."_

_Leo found himself slammed against the wall by the large Lizard that helped start this riot. Lion-O thought that it wasn't the best idea for his ancestor to head-butt said Lizard as hard as he could. At that time, Panthera had reached the control panel that activated the shock collars. The collars stunned all the animal slaves and they momentarily collapsed on the ground._

_Lion-O watched as both ancestors had the soldiers restrain the Jackalman and Lizard that instigated the riot. "I want both of them in isolation cells," Leo commanded, "and I want them in there now."_

_Lion-O followed Leo, Panthera, and the soldiers escorting their prisoners through the halls and into the so called "isolation cells". "We'll handle things from here," Panthera told the soldiers. "Report back to your posts."_

_The guards saluted before walking outside the cell. The lion and panther seemed to wait for a moment before both Leo and Panthera removed the collars from their prisoners._

_The Lizard growled as he rubbed his neck. "You have some nerve, cat," he snarled at the panther. "Was that shock really necessary?"_

"_It's not my fault the two of you started a riot," Panthera argued._

_The Lizard then turned to the lion. "And then there's you," he said, rubbing the sore spot on his forehead. "You could have taken my head off."_

"_I had to make it look convincing," Leo said. "Would you rather I blow our cover?" When the Lizard said nothing, he turned to the Jackalman. "Now, I'm assuming the two of you wanted to talk to us?"_

"_Yes," he said. "Both Lizards and Jackalmen are prepared to rebel when the time is right, as are the other animals. But there is one thing. We need to know that, when the War Stone arrives, you'll be able to secure it."_

"_Don't worry," Panthera assured them, "we can handle it."_

"_If anyone tries to bring Mumm-Ra the stone, it will be Captain Tygus," the Lizard pointed out. "He is Mumm-Ra's best soldier, and a brilliant tactician."_

_Leo growled. "Tygus is all talk and no bite," he said. "I will take the War Stone and defeat Mumm-Ra. You have my word on that."_

"_Then we'll see how much the word of a Cat is worth," the Lizard said before the panther let both him and the Jackalman out of the cell._

_Lion-O saw that Leo and his future queen were alone now. "What am I going to do, Panthera?" the lion asked before sighing. "They all expect me to be some liberator, and I don't know if I can do it."_

_His future queen placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know you carry a heavy burden, Leo" Panthera tried to comfort him, "but overthrowing Mumm-Ra is what you were meant to do. Remember what _she _said; you are the shining light that blazes through the darkness."_

_Lion-O then saw the panther place a light kiss on Leo's lips. Thundera's future queen sought to find some way to help ease the burden that her love carried. After she pulled away, some weight seemed to have been taken off of Leo's shoulders and he left the isolation cell with his companion._

_Lion-O followed them outside as he felt a slight chill down his spine. The shining light that blazes through the darkness? Those were the same words that his mother said to him when he was only a babe. With Leo generations before him, it could not be a coincidence._

_Then there was this _she_? Both Panthera and his mother talked about that as well. Who could they be talking about? Who was this _she_?_

_It was then that Lion-O caught something at the corner of his eye. A figure shrouded in a violet cloak turned the corner and disappeared from his view. The prince ignored his ancestors and rushed to where the figure had last stood. When he reached the junction, he turned where the figure went and saw nothing._

_Lion-O doubted that this figure could just disappear from thin air. Was this figure the _"she" _that his mother and Panthera spoke of? It seemed like the only explanation he had right now. It could be that, or he could have been imagining things._

_Lion-O sighed before turning back to find his ancestors._

* * *

_Leo stood in the center of the Black Pyramid with Mumm-Ra as they watched the invasion take place on the far side's view screen. "Incoming transmission from Captain Tygus, My Lord," Leo said. "I'm patching it through now."_

_Lion-O saw an image of a tiger with a strange eye patch covering his right eye. "My Lord," Tygus said, "we are scouring every inch of the planet. I have no doubt that we will have the War Stone's location."_

"_Inform me when we have an exact location, Captain," Mumm-Ra said before he had Leo terminate the transmission. Lion-O watched the master turn to the servant. "Do you have something to say, Leo?"_

_Leo was silent for a moment. "Tygus is arrogant and over-confident," he said. "Can we really trust him with such an important task?"_

"_His arrogance may someday be his undoing," Mumm-Ra said, "but his loyalty is unquestionable." He turned back to the screen. "We all have a place in the cosmos, Leo. I am meant to rule, you and your fellow Cats were meant to enforce my will, and all the other animals were meant to die for our cause."_

_Every word that Mumm-Ra spoke disgusted Lion-O. If this was how the Ever-Living saw those that he enslaved, it was no wonder that Leo rebelled. But right now, his ancestor would have to lie through the whole thing._

"_There is much resentment for this," Mumm-Ra said, his gaze turning to his commander, "especially towards you and your kind, Leo. I have no doubt that, should a rebellion ever occur, you would be the first to perish."_

_Leo's face was calm and collected. "Any rebellion against you would be the work of fools, My Lord."_

"_Indeed it would," Mumm-Ra concurred._

_They watched the progress of their invasion for some time until Captain Tygus contacted them again. He had found the location of the War Stone._

* * *

_As it would appear, the War Stone was being used to power a massive laser cannon in a well-fortified city. A well-planned strategy by Tygus had allowed him and his forces to storm the city and retrieve the stone._

_It would seem that Tygus would arrive with the stone soon. But first, there was one thing that Leo and Panthera had to do._

_This was what led to Lion-O following the apparitions of his ancestors down a pipelined hallway. They eventually reached a gap amongst the pipes and both lion and panther maneuvered through it._

_Leo and Panthera approached a dim flickering light that later appeared to be a fire. The clang of metal could be heard as they came closer and closer. Lion-O's eyes widened at what he saw as they turned the corner._

_A lone figure stood near the fire with what appeared to be a cat's head hammer in one hand, and what appeared to be a dagger in the other. The figure was banging the hammer onto the blade, sparks flying from the metal._

_The figure suddenly turned to Leo and Panthera, the head of his hammer pointed toward them. Lion-O was surprised at what he saw. The figure was a tiger, though he had the black stripes of one, the rest of his fur was as white as snow._

"_Who enters my forge?" the white tiger asked._

"_We do, Master of Steel," the lion said, "Leo and Panthera."_

_The tiger lowered his hammer. "I suppose the two of you are here for the sword and gauntlet?"_

"_Yes," Panthera said. "Captain Tygus will soon be here with the War Stone."_

_The Master of Steel nodded. "I already have the gauntlet ready, but give me a moment with the sword." He banged the metal several more times before lowering it into some nearby water, steam rising from the cooling blade._

_The white tiger approached them with the dagger, a hole where the Eye of Thundera should be. "It's done," the Master of Steel said. "I forged it exactly as you told me to. But I must say this; it's not much of a sword."_

_Leo took the weapon by its grip. "Just wait until we have the War Stone," he told him._

_The Master of Steel took this time to retrieve a golden gauntlet. "They say the best swords have names," he said. "What will you call this one?"_

"_The Sword of Omens," Leo said before taking the gauntlet, "and this is the Claw Shield."_

* * *

_A cat-shaped metal craft appeared in the Black Pyramid's hangar, slowly descending to the landing pad. Lion-O watched Tygus exit the craft with the War Stone secured in a small carrying-case. The tiger seemed surprised when he suddenly saw a certain lion and panther waiting for him._

"_Leo, Panthera," the captain said, "is there something you need."_

"_Yes," Leo said as his companion pointed a laser pistol at the tiger, "I need you to surrender the War Stone, Captain Tygus."_

_The tiger growled. "Why," Tygus asked, "so that you may steal the glory that is rightfully mine? You were here cowering while me and my men fought and died for this stone. I will not let some conniving lion and his whore take what is mine. Besides," he grinned, "it will take more than one blaster to take the War Stone from me."_

_Leo snapped his fingers and watched as the tiger's prideful grin disappearing as many armed cats appeared, all pointing their weapons at the captain._

_Leo approached Tygus. "I'll be taking this now, Captain," he said, taking the carrying case from the tiger. "Please cooperate with my men and you will not be harmed in any way." Two cats came and bound the tiger's wrists together. "I'm sorry, Tygus, but this is for the greater good. After today, we and the other animals will be free from Mumm-Ra's tyranny."_

_Tygus's one good eye went wide. That was not what he thought he would hear. He thought that Leo was only doing this for the glory of bringing the stone to their master. It was then that Lion-O could see a great rage growing in the tiger._

"_You traitorous bastard," Tygus hissed. "You will never get away with this. You will never unite the other animals, and I will be there as you fail in your insurrection and I will gladly take your life before my lord."_

_Lion-O watched as Leo walked away, ignoring the captain's rant. It seemed that the only thing he cared about now was defeating Mumm-Ra._

* * *

_Mumm-Ra was silent as Leo entered the central chamber. "Do you have the stone, Leo?" the Ever-Living asked._

"_I do," the lion said, placing his left arm into the Claw Shield and gripping the Sword of Omens with his right, "but it will be your downfall."_

_Lion-O watched as his ancestor placed the War Stone into the sword's guard, changing its form into the familiar Eye of Thundera. It was then that the dagger became the fabled Sword of Omens, lightning surging from its blade._

"_So," Mumm-Ra said as he turned to the lion, "you have betrayed me. I must say that I am surprised. You were always loyal to me, always accepting my orders without question. Tell me, what changed? Was it because of _her _death?"_

_Leo snarled. "Don't you dare bring that up," he roared. "With the power of the War Stone, I will end you here and now."_

_Lion-O watched Mumm-Ra draw the Sword of Plun-Darr from his own gauntlet. "Did you forget about my sword, Leo? Or the other three stones we have found?"_

_Other three stones? Lion-O then began to take notice of the three gems adorning Mumm-Ra's black gauntlet. The three stones glowed purple, green, and blue as they surged with power._

"_You may have the other stones," Leo said, "but they won't stop me."_

_Lion-O watched his ancestor charged forward with the Sword of Omens, swinging the weapon at his enemy. Mumm-Ra blocked the attack with his gauntlet, only to attack the lion with his own sword. Leo was able to quickly avoid the blade._

"_Your little rebellion will fail, Leo," Mumm-Ra proclaimed. "I will make sure you will suffer for this treachery."_

_Lion-O watched the Sword of Plun-Darr change its form. It went from a normal sword to a double-bladed weapon. Mumm-Ra twirled the weapon in his grip as he attacked his former commander. Leo somehow managed to duck and weave away from the barrage of attacks._

_The War Stone glowed from its place in the Sword of Omens, and Lion-O could hear the strange humming that he usually heard from his own sword. Leo brought the sword's guard up and fired a red beam from the stone._

_Mumm-Ra howled in pain as the current of energy struck him. The force of the attack pushed him over the platform's edge, leading the Ever-Living to fall far below to the bottom._

_Lion-O watched Leo approach the chamber's console, his fingers moving quickly over the holographic interface. In the cell blocks, the force fields of the holding cells were being disabled, releasing the other animals._

_Leo activated the vid-com system to broadcast throughout the Black Pyramid. "I know that you all have no reason to trust us cats," he said, "but today, we need you. We have a chance to free ourselves from Mumm-Ra's tyranny, but only if we stand together. Divided we will fall, but united we will rise!"_

_As soon as he terminated the transmission, several alarms instantly sounded. The display on the far wall began to show images of animals revolting all over the Black Pyramid. Lion-O could hardly believe he was witnessing the Great Mutiny happening before his very eyes._

_The flapping of wings got the attention of both Leo and Lion-O as they turned towards the end of the platform. Mumm-Ra rose from below and landed on the platform's edge, the double-bladed Sword of Plun-Darr still looked vicious in his grip._

"_You will not win this day, Leo," the Ever-Living boasted. "You have only led those animals to their extermination."_

"_If we die today," Leo began, "we will die free from you."_

_Mumm-Ra only smiled his evil grin as he lifted his gauntlet and allowed his three stones to surge with his power. Leo took advantage of whatever his enemy was preparing and attacked with his sword. Lightning was released with each slash of his blade as Mumm-Ra tried in vane to protect himself._

_Leo brought up the Sword of Omens once more and fired the beam from the War Stone. Mumm-Ra tried to use his gauntlet to defend against the red current, but its powerful force knocked the green stone off his gauntlet._

_Leo quickly ran towards the falling stone and only just managed to catch it with his Claw Shield. Lion-O saw the stone as well; instead of the diamond shape like he saw on the gauntlet, it was circular with numerous glowing and intersecting lines across its surface._

"_You'll be powerless without your stones, Mumm-Ra," Leo yelled out._

_The remaining stones on the Ever-Living's gauntlet began to glow once more. "I still have enough power in these two to destroy you," he boasted._

_It was then that purple lightning surged around Mumm-Ra as his gauntlet began to form around him. Jagged metal began to spread all over the Ever-Living's form, even his wings began to change into metal. A red-eyed face formed the chest plate above the cloth that shrouded his legs, and a fearsome helm covered his head._

_Lion-O and Leo looked on in shock at the armored Mumm-Ra. "I admit, Leo," the Ever-Living said, "I underestimated you. But you have done the same. I can harness the power of these two stones in ways you cannot fathom."_

_Lion-O gulped at what he saw. How could his ancestor win against something like that? Undeterred, Leo charged with his Sword of Omens. Both he and Mumm-Ra struggled as their blades met in a match of strength. But it was Leo that gained the advantage when the War Stone fired its beam once again._

_This attack forced Mumm-Ra back several feet, but he began his own attack. He began to fire bolts of purple lightning, bolts that Leo easily avoided. But one managed to make its mark and stunned him. The Ever-Living took this advantage and grabbed him by his gauntleted arm, throwing him toward the base of one of the four statues._

"_You may have my power," Mumm-Ra said, "but you have no forethought on how to use it."_

_Lion-O saw his ancestor's eyes land on the stones of Mumm-Ra's gauntlet before a look of inspiration flashed on his face. Leo looked at the green stone that was still in his Claw Shield's grip._

"_Maybe not," Leo said, getting up on his feet, "but I finally figured out that my Claw Shield can hold more than my sword."_

_The lion then placed the green stone onto the gauntlet, both surging with energy as he did so. The Claw Shield absorbed the stone as Leo seemed to be changing form._

_Like Mumm-Ra, armor began to appear from his own gauntlet. Golden metal began to form on his arms and legs, a lion face forming as a chest plate. A lion's head helmet formed around Leo's own head as its eyes glowed gold._

"_A shining light that blazes through the darkness," he said, golden light flashing around him._

_Both enemies charged toward one another. A blast of lightning from Leo's sword sent the Ever-Living through the wall, tearing through many layers of his own ship. Leo was quick to follow, taking their battle outside of the Black Pyramid, into the vastness of space._

_After several clashes, they returned to the central chamber, Mumm-Ra crashing through the wall one more. The Ever-Living struggled to rise from the base of his staircase as Leo began his approach. The armored lion raised his Sword of Omens and brought it down as hard as he could. Mumm-Ra raised his gauntlet to defend himself, but this proved to be a mistake as his two remaining stones were lost to him._

_The blue and purple stones landed harmlessly against the cold ground as a dark mist poured out of the Ever-Living. Mumm-Ra groaned in agony as his armor disappeared, leaving him as a withered husk cloaked in red._

"_Now that's the Mumm-Ra I know," Lion-O said to himself as Leo's armor disappeared as well._

_Leo sheathed the Sword of Omens before collecting the other two stones. He placed them on his gauntlet as he had done with the other. The golden metal of the Claw Shield pulsed with a radiant light as it gained their power. This was the power of all four stones._

_Other animals swarmed into the chamber as they cheered for Leo's victory. Panthera gathered him into an embrace._

"_You did it, Leo," she said to her love. "You just accomplished the impossible."_

_They all began to celebrate before the chamber shook around them. They felt the ship tilt on its axis as Panthera stumbled toward the nearest console._

_The readings did not seem good. "The ship's instruments are going crazy," the panther said. "Some sort of magnetic storm is fighting the gravity of this planet's moons. We're on a crash course towards—"_

"—_Third Earth," Lion-O whispered to himself._

_The weakened Mumm-Ra chuckled from nearby his sarcophagus. "Your victory is a fleeting one, Leo," he said as he activated a console. "After you all perish, I will live on to collect what is rightfully mine."_

_Mumm-Ra lifted himself up as Leo scrambled to catch him. He found himself too late as the sarcophagus was sealed tightly, with Mumm-Ra safely inside._

"_Fine," Leo said as he approached the console, "you want to stay in there? You can be in there forever!"_

_Leo smashed the console with his Claw Shield, sparks flying as it was destroyed. As long as Mumm-Ra was trapped in his sarcophagus, he could do no harm to anyone. Leo could at least have that victory._

_Lion-O watched them all observe their descent to the planet below, where the young lion knew what would happen next. All the animals would go on to establish their own kingdoms, where Leo's nation of Thundera would become the most powerful and most prosperous of them all._

_Leo and Panthera stood together. "What do we do now?" she asked._

_Leo took her into his arms. "Brace for impact," he said._

_They both crashed their lips together as the chamber was filled with the light from their ship entering the atmosphere. Lion-O brought his hand up to block the blinding light from his eyes._

_The light disappeared, with Lion-O finding himself back to the strange plane within the Book of Omens._

"_The crash disrupted some of the book's records," Jaga said as he reappeared, "but enough of the crew survived to begin civilization on Third Earth."_

_Lion-O came to a grim realization. "Mumm-Ra isn't just after the Eye of Thundera," he said, "but all the stones. So where are they?"_

"_Scattered all over Third Earth," Jaga said, "beyond Mumm-Ra's reach…for now. The Book of Omens will guide you to them." The late Head Cleric paused for a moment. "But the stones alone will not defeat that monster."_

_Lion-O nodded in agreement. "I need to bring all the animals together. It's like Leo said, 'united we will rise.'"_

_Yes, Lion-O," Jaga nodded before waving his staff. "Now you must go."_

_The lion found himself drifting away. "Wait!" he said. "I have more questions!" This was true; he had many. One of those was about this _"she"_. Who were his mother and Panthera referring to? Who was the violet cloaked woman he saw on Mumm-Ra's ship?_

_Lion-O saw another light flash around him…_

* * *

…and he opened his eyes to see Cheetara above him, resting the lion on her lap. "Thank the gods," she said, bringing him into an embrace. "We were all so worried."

Lion-O looked around to see Panthro, Pumyra, the Wilys, and even Snarf looking at him worriedly. Cheetara reluctantly broke their hug.

"Are you okay?" the cheetah asked her prince. "What happened to you?"

Lion-O didn't even know where to start. He had learned so much from the Book of Omens that the lion didn't know how to explain it all. He was still trying to process what he had seen. But still, there was one sure thing that he did know.

The Lord of the ThunderCats stood up and stared hard at his comrades. "I know what we have to do."


	8. Chapter VIII: Hachiman and the Drifter

**As always, I do not own ThunderCats.**

_**ThunderCats: War of Kings**_

_**Chapter VIII: Hachiman and the Drifter**_

They left for Cavahna at first light, as the dawn rose over the horizon. Tygra hoped that the information Lady Kotiya had would lead him and Lynx-O to the Cat's Lair. There, the tiger would finally be able to do away with this Order of the Hand, be able to rid Third Earth of Lion-O, _and_ be able to rescue Cheetara from his clutches.

Tygra was still rubbing the sore spots from where the cheetah had beaten him with her staff. He knew it would not be easy, but the Crown Prince only hoped that he could release her from whatever manipulations Lion-O had put on her. Even if it took years, he would free her.

When the sun finally set and the moon had risen to take its place, both prince and general decided to make camp. They, along with the rest of their small contingent, put up their tents and gathered enough wood for their fires to last the night.

Tygra ate a small dinner with Lynx-O and two other soldiers; all the others were spread out in different groups. Melodious notes echoed through the air as the lynx played his flute. Tygra was surprised that the blind cat was able to play an instrument at all. He was learning something new about this general every day.

"Excuse me," a voice piped up. Tygra turned to see one of the younger soldiers, a wildcat, addressing him. "Your Highness—"

Tygra waved his hand. "No need to be so formal, Private…"

"Gatto, Your Highness," the wildcat said, "Private Gatto."

Tygra nodded. "Well then, Gatto, we're camped out here for the night. Outside of duty, there's no need for such formality. Please, call me Tygra."

The wildcat nodded. "If that is what you wish, Your Hi—Tygra."

The Crown Prince took another bite from his meal. "Is there something you wish to discuss, Gatto?"

"Yes," Gatto answered. "I was wondering about what this Lady Kotiya is offering. Could this really bring an end to Lion-O and that order of his?"

"Of course it will," Tygra said with a swell of pride in his chest. "We will succeed in ridding this world of this rotten order, and do you want to know why? They will be slain because we walk the righteous path."

The notes no longer played from the general's flute. "Is that really how you see it?" Lynx-O asked.

"What exactly do you mean?" Tygra asked, confused at the general's reaction.

"Do you really see what we plan to do as _righteous_?" Lynx-O asked.

"Of course I do," Tygra said. "We'll be doing the world a favor by getting rid of these traitors."

The general shook his head. "Killing is never righteous, Tygra," Lynx-O said. "You can try to justify it, but the taking of life is always wrong."

"But these are traitors, Lynx-O," Tygra said. "They are the worst scum on Third Earth. When we face them, we will destroy them to the last man. I will face this so-called 'Lord' Lion-O myself, and when I do, I will defeat him and reclaim the Sword of Omens."

"Really," Lynx-O said amazed, "you are going to defeat Lion-O? And just how are you going to do that? What exactly is your plan?"

"I don't need any plan," Tygra said. "I will defeat him because I know I can."

Lynx-O said nothing. He only lifted his flute back up and played a few notes. "Tygra, have you ever heard the story of 'Hachiman and the Drifter'?"

This question frustrated the tiger. "What? No, I've never heard it. What's this have to do with anything?"

"Sit down," Lynx-O said, "and I will tell you."

The Crown Prince did as he was told, waiting for some sort of explanation.

Instead, the general played a few more notes with the flute. "Once," Lynx-O began his tale, "in a village that's name I cannot recall, there was a blacksmith named Hachiman. He was mostly called on to make shoes for mounts, but Hachiman's true passion was in swords."

After playing his instrument again, Lynx-O continued his story. "One day, Hachiman went to his forge, but not to make shoes. He claimed to have been granted a dream by the gods, commanding him to make a sword."

More notes were blown. "Hachiman worked tirelessly on this sword; night and day blended together as he continued his endeavor. After a fortnight, Hachiman had forged a blade of the strongest steel with a golden grip. Hachiman had believed that this was a sword worthy of the gods themselves, and he named it Thunder-Cutter."

Lynx-O played once again. "It was not long before bandits came to Hachiman's village. The blacksmith had decided that this was the reason that the gods had wanted him to forge this mighty blade, so that he could defeat these bandits. With Thunder-Cutter in his hands, all the bandits fell before Hachiman, and he had saved his village."

A few notes were played again. "Word began to spread on how this humble blacksmith had defended his home single-handedly from the bandits. Many warriors and duelists went to his village to challenge Hachiman, and time and time again, they were defeated by him and Thunder-Cutter."

Once again, Lynx-O played his flute. "It was not long before Hachiman became revered as a great swordsman and duelist. He had the respect of many, and with each victory, that respect grew."

More notes were played by the general. "One day, a Drifter came to Hachiman's village; a sword was hung from his hip. On that day, Hachiman himself happened to be walking, and he saw the Drifter's approach. Seeing this newcomer was a warrior like himself, Hachiman gave a slight nod in greeting. The nod was not returned."

By this point, Gatto had leaned forward as Lynx-O played more from his flute. "No one ever knew the reason why the Drifter did not return the nod. Did he not notice Hachiman's humble greeting? Or was he trying to slight the swordsman? Whatever reason he had, only the Drifter knew."

Though Gatto was extremely interested in this tale, Tygra only felt boredom. "When he was not acknowledged," Lynx-O continued his tale after playing his flute again, "Hachiman felt that his own honor had been attacked. Because of this, he challenged the Drifter to a duel that would be held at noon the next day."

The flute was played again as Lynx-O went on. "They met at the village square when the time came. They both drew their blades, Hachiman with his legendary Thunder-Cutter, and the Drifter with his own sword."

Lynx-O played a few more notes. "Hachiman almost laughed when he saw his opponent's blade. It had lost its shine, and it even seemed a bit dull. Hachiman believed at that moment that he would win this duel."

Lynx-O played his flute. "The duel began, but it was not the immediate victory that Hachiman had predicted. The Drifter, with his dull sword, seemed to be holding his own against the Thunder-Cutter. But then, at one decisive moment, the Drifter attacked and knocked the legendary sword out of its master's hands. At that moment, Hachiman had lost."

Tygra perked up at that moment. "What?" he said in shock. "How did Hachiman lose? He had the best sword!"

"The sword does not determine the battle," Lynx-O said, "the swordsman does. The sword is only a tool for the swordsman to wield."

Tygra waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it!" he said. "This is pointless! We still have half a day's walk until we reach Cavahna; I'm going to bed to rest up. We leave at the crack of dawn." With that, the Crown Prince of Thundera got up from his seat and walked to his tent.

Lynx-O sighed. He wondered what god he had offended to get someone as stubborn as Tygra as his superior. The general thought that if this was how the tiger felt now, what would happen if he was to become king? Though this thought was bordering on treason, at least Lion-O was not this bad. If he ever met the Rebel Prince again, he would try to see past what Claudus had been spouting and try to discover the roots of his rebellion.

"So what made him lose?" Gatto asked.

The lynx turned to the private in surprise. "I'm sorry?"

"I mean, what made Hachiman lose?" Gatto clarified. "You said that the sword didn't determine the battle. So what does?"

Lynx-O was silent for some time before he spoke. "Do you remember what I said when Hachiman saw the Drifter's sword?"

"Yes," Gatto answered. "He believed that he was going to win."

Lynx-O nodded. "And that is why he lost," he said. "He allowed himself to become arrogant, and that arrogance had dulled his senses as a warrior."

Lynx-O stood up and motioned for the young wildcat to do the same. He placed both hands on Gatto's shoulders. "When a warrior goes out prepared for victory, he will lose, but when he goes out prepared to die, he will either die all the same, or he will live another day. Remember this, Gatto, when we come to our next battle, what will you do?"

The general walked away from the campfire, leaving the young soldier to consider the words he gave him. The others were amazed at how Lynx-O was able to make his way through the camp despite his blindness.

It did not matter if it was night; the darkness had been his friend for many years.


	9. Chapter IX: Cavahna

**I don't own ThunderCats; I don't own ANYTHING!**

_**ThunderCats: War of Kings**_

_**Chapter IX: Cavahna**_

It took some time for them to install the Book of Omens into the ThunderTank; Panthro thought it was the best way for it to guide them to the other four stones. With the book already part Technology, though an unknown type, it only made sense that they would do that.

So far, the book had pointed them east, its red holographic arrow leading the way. They used a holographic map in the tank for the ThunderCats to accurately pinpoint where the book was leading them, and they could find only one place that it would lead them.

Valern's holographic projection was beside the map. _"So what you are saying,"_ he said, _"is that one of these stones is in some sort of village nearby?"_

"At least we think it's a village," Lion-O said, working the control panel for the map. The holographic layout zoomed in on a group of huts or buildings. "It could also be some sort of commune. We are not sure who lives there, or if they are even friendly."

"_But we need the stone,"_ Valern said, _"it's the only weapon we have against Mumm-Ra."_

Lion-O nodded in agreement. "What news do we have on Kotiya?" he asked, moving on to the next topic.

"_We've just received a new report from the scouting party outside her settlement,"_ Valern said. _"There is a contingent of Thunderian soldiers on their way to Cavahna, and they are being led by Prince Tygra and General Lynx-O."_

Lion-O did his best to keep his face as stoic as possible when he heard this news. If Kotiya indeed knew the location of the Cat's Lair, Tygra would no doubt lead an attack on it. Even with many soldiers, the weapons that the Order of the Hand possessed would never allow them near it. The tiger would no doubt lead them into a massacre.

"Is there anything else, Grand Master?" Lion-O asked, hoping to take his mind off this matter.

Valern seemed hesitant. _"There is one thing I have been wondering,"_ he said. _"What you learned from the book on how we enforced Mumm-Ra's will and that we are aliens to this world, it makes me wonder, where did we come from? And why did we serve Mumm-Ra in the first place?"_

Lion-O nodded; he often asked himself this as well. "Some questions are best left unanswered, Grand Master," he finally said. "We may not like the answer when we find it."

"_Agreed,"_ Valern said, _"but we will have to come to that eventually. I will let you know of any new developments. Good luck, Lord Lion-O; we're all counting on you."_

With that, the Grand Master terminated the transmission. Lion-O sighed as he circled the map, his thoughts of Mumm-Ra, the stones, and his own rebellion plaguing his mind. The Rebel Prince felt a new set of burdens weighing him down.

But what always plagued his mind was _her_, the mysterious woman in the violet cloak that he saw on Mumm-Ra's ship. The mystery that surrounded her was something that Lion-O was trying to solve. All he knew was that she was somehow involved with both his mother and his ancestors, Leo and Panthera.

"Lion-O?" a voice asked as a hand was placed on his shoulder. "What are you thinking of?"

The young lion was too distracted by his thoughts to notice Cheetara's approach. He jumped slightly before realizing who it was. The prince noticed the worried look in her eyes.

"It's nothing, Cheetara," Lion-O said to her. "There's no need for you to worry."

"Please, Lion-O," the cheetah pleaded, "don't do this. Don't bear these burdens by yourself."

"It's not that," the Rebel Prince said. "It's about something else." Lion-O paused for a moment before continuing. "When I went into the Book of Omens and saw Leo fighting Mumm-Ra, there was someone else there."

"Really?" Cheetara asked curiously. "Who?"

"I don't know," Lion-O said. "She wore some sort of violet cloak, and I think she somehow knew my mother. She and Panthera said the same thing, 'a shining light that blazes through the darkness'. That's what they were saying."

The lion shook his head. "It's like this was all planned or something. That I'm somehow supposed to defeat Mumm-Ra. Everything that's happened, all that we've been through, it just feels like were following some strange plan. I don't know how I can go through all this—"

Cheetara quickly brought him into a kiss, silencing his words with her lips. "It will all be okay, Lion-O," she said soothingly, breaking the lip lock. "If we are following some strange destiny, it will end with you defeating Mumm-Ra and taking back the throne. I believe in this, and so should you."

Lion-O grinned before bringing his Head Cleric into another kiss, this one deeper than the first one. None of the worries that he had mattered right now. What did matter was the beautiful cheetah in his arms.

"Hey, lovebirds!" The two broke away from their embrace to see Pumyra leaning on the railing above them. "If you two are done snogging each other senseless, Panthro says we're getting close to the village."

Tygra, Lynx-O, and their soldiers began their final approach to the settlement's main gate, bronze with a wreath—the sigil of Cavahna—branded in the center. A guard along the walls saw the army approach with the black-and-red Thunderian banner in front. The guard approached a horn and blew twice before the gates opened for them.

As Tygra and Lynx-O led their men through the streets of Cavahna, many of the peasants stopped what they were doing long enough to see them march by. Children waved at them and Tygra couldn't help but notice how several young women winked at him. The tiger smiled; it wouldn't be hard for him to find some "company" while he was here.

They soon approached the large estate that was the residence of Lady Kotiya, the Governor of Cavahna. A middle-aged cougar met them at the manor's entrance dressed in gray robes.

"General, Your Highness," the cougar bowed in greeting, "I am Master Vanem, Lady Kotiya's advisor. I welcome you both to our settlement."

Both tiger and lynx nodded. "We wish to see the Governor at once," Tygra said. He wanted to get this over with quickly and lead his army to the Cat's Lair.

Vanem nodded in understanding. "Of course, Your Highness; please follow me."

Tygra and Lynx-O followed the advisor into the estate while their soldiers remained outside. Vanem led them down the hall before they reached the Grand Hall. There, sitting at a wide table on a raised dais, was Lady Kotiya.

The leopard stood to greet her guests, and Tygra couldn't keep his eyes from traveling up and down her form. A tight red dress clung to her body, showing off her curves. Kotiya noticed where the tiger's gaze was and couldn't help but grin lecherously.

"Prince Tygra, General Lynx-O," the leopard welcomed them, "I am glad that you have responded to my letter. I am confident that you two will be able to stop this traitorous Rebel Prince."

"We will do what we can, My Lady," Lynx-O said, "though it may be difficult. The Order of the Hand is very secretive. Even if you give us the location of their lair, they may have some kind of Technology that keeps it hidden."

Kotiya quickly averted her eyes. "Yes, about that," she said. "I'm afraid that I was not entirely truthful with the king in my letter."

Lynx-O narrowed his eyes. "May I ask what you are talking about, Lady Kotiya? The letter you sent said that Lion-O himself invited you to the Cat's Lair."

"He did," Kotiya said, "but he had me blindfolded to ensure the secrecy of his lair."

"What?" Lynx-O asked shocked. "You mean to tell me that you—"

"General," Tygra interjected, "You need to calm down. Let us give her a chance to explain."

"What's there to explain on how she lied?" Lynx-O asked incredulously. "She doesn't know where the Cat's Lair is."

"That's true," Kotiya admitted, "but I do know where you can find someone who does."

Lynx-O seemed doubtful, but Tygra was willing to take a chance. He would do anything to have his chance of saving Cheetara.

Kotiya began to explain. "There is a village five leagues east of here," she said. "They have been under the 'protection' of Lord Lion-O and his order for the past month. If you can capture one of their soldiers and interrogate them, you may be able to procure the location of the Cat's Lair."

Tygra mulled it all over in his head. There was a village full of Technology-armed soldiers that could slaughter all his men in a matter of minutes. But there might be a way for them all to defeat these traitorous rebels and capture some of them. This could actually work.

"Thank you for your help, Lady Kotiya," Tygra bowed in respect to her. "We will leave for this village immediately." Lynx-O made his way to the exit. "But there is something I must ask you first."

"Of course, Your Highness," the leopard said. "What do you wish to know?"

"While you were at the Cat's Lair," Tygra began, "did you manage to see a young female cheetah there?"

Kotiya seemed to ponder on this, but in actuality, she knew exactly who the tiger was referring to. She smiled inwardly as she deduced the reason why he had asked about the Head Cleric.

"Well," the leopard said with false sincerity, "the only cheetah I recall seeing there was Lady Cheetara."

"Yes," Tygra said, "her. Can you tell me anything about her current condition?"

"When I first saw her," Kotiya began, "she introduced herself as Lord Lion-O's Head Cleric. As he met with me, not once did she leave his side. I was then invited to stay the night, with my room next to Lion-O's bedchamber. I heard something outside my doorway and I looked out to see Cheetara entering her lord's bedchamber."

The leopard saw Tygra balling his fists. Perfect. "It was quiet at first, but then all that moaning and screaming kept me up most of the night. Though I must admit, it does make me wonder about Lord Lion-O's _prowess_ in bed."

It was then that Tygra made his way to the exit, his face a picture of pure rage. Lynx-O followed him, but kept a careful distance; he could feel the anger from the Crown Prince. The general did not want to be in the tiger's crosshairs.

As the door closed behind her guests, Kotiya began to chuckle. Her advisor approached her left side. "Did you see the look on his face, Vanem?" the governor asked. "I almost thought that he was going to kill someone."

Vanem seemed uncertain. "Are you sure of this, My Lady?" the advisor asked. "It seems unwise to play on his anger like that."

The leopard shrugged indifferently. "As long as that anger is focused on Lord Lion-O and his _bitch_ of a Head Cleric, I could care less."

Kotiya smirked as she pictured Tygra leading his army to the Cat's Lair, bringing the lion and his cheetah _whore_ to their knees. They would soon find themselves executed and their very heads placed on pikes, an example to those who would "betray" Thundera.

And at that moment, Kotiya thought with an evil smirk, the prideful Lord Lion-O would regret rejecting her as he did.


	10. Chapter X: Sight Beyond Sight

**I do not own ThunderCats; I never will (dejected sigh).**

_**ThunderCats: War of Kings**_

_**Chapter X: Sight Beyond Sight**_

Lion-O could feel his muscles straining as he continued to walk up the numerous steps with the others following him close behind. Before they began their climb, the ThunderCats were in awe at the stone monuments that marked the entrance to the village above them. Now they all wished that the ThunderTank was capable of going over the stone stairs.

The ThunderCats rested their sore muscles as the they reached the top of the steps. They all walked through the large opening of the giant wall that surrounded the village.

"Everything is so big," Lion-O said, amazed.

"Yeah," Pumyra said, pointing ahead, "including the people that live here."

They all looked to see a group of large elephants in robes sitting in a circle. Small bridges connected a small circular stone platform in a pool with little pink flowers floating on the water's surface.

The group approached the robed elephants; the pachyderms seem to be in some sort of meditative state. Lion-O strode forward ahead of his fellow cats.

The lion cleared his throat. "Excuse me," he said, but they seemed not to notice him. "Hello!"

The young Lord may have yelled out too loud, as this seemed to shock the elephants out of their meditation. They mumbled amongst themselves before getting up and looking upon their guests.

Lion-O laughed, embarrassed. "Sorry," he said before standing straighter, his next words echoing authority. "I am Lion-O, Lord of the ThunderCats."

One of the elephants nodded; he was most likely the leader. "I am Aburn," he greeted, "and you are?"

The lion quirked an eyebrow; didn't he already do this? "Uh…my name is Lion-O, Lord of the ThunderCats."

Aburn smiled and nodded again. "Welcome, Lion-El—"

"Lion-O."

"—how can we assist you?"

"We are looking for a very powerful magic stone," Lion-O said.

"We believe it is somewhere within your village," Cheetara said, waving her hand around them.

Aburn tilted his head slightly. "What is?"

WilyKat spared a look to his sister. "Kind of forgetful, isn't he?"

Kit stared at the elephant adoringly. "I think he's cute."

"Listen, Aburn," Lion-O began, bringing up his Claw Shield with the sword still sheathed in it, "we're looking for a stone that looks like this." The lion tapped on the Eye of Thundera.

"When did you lose it?" the elephant ask.

"We didn't lose it," Cheetara answered.

"So you have it?" Aburn asked with his head slightly tilted.

Pumyra furrowed her brows together. "No," she said, "we're looking for it."

Aburn gave sort of a blank stare. "And what is it exactly you are looking for?"

Lion-O face palmed as the others gave a frustrated sigh. "You've got to be kidding me," Panthro muttered.

Large footsteps approached the group. Another elephant walked to the ThunderCats as his fellow pachyderms bowed in respect for him; perhaps he was the leader instead of Aburn.

"I can't remember the last time I saw a cat in these parts," the lead elephant said.

Aburn nodded. "Yes, Anet," he said, "they are looking for…uh, what were you looking for again? Lion-Lord?"

All the ThunderCats answered at once. "THE STONE!"

Anet nodded. "If it's the Spirit Stone you are seeking, then you have come to the right place." The elephant waved his hand around them. "We have it here, or we did once…maybe. Our memory is not as great as our size. Feel free to have a look around."

Lion-O turned his head to search his surroundings as Anet shook his head. "No, no," he said, "not with those eyes," He pointed down to the lion's sheathed sword, "with that one."

Lion-O's eyes widened as his hand touched the stone. "Yes," the elephant continued, "I can sense its power. Come with me."

With that, Anet motioned for the Rebel Prince to follow him. Lion-O was hesitant before walking off with the elephant.

* * *

Anet led Lion-O to a covered stone platform while the other ThunderCats, with the exception of Cheetara, helped the elephants with their harvest. The Head Cleric had elected to watch over her prince as he and Anet talked about the Spirit Stone.

Lion-O had the Sword of Omens out, the guard up to his eyes. "Like I told you," he said, lowering his weapon, "I already tried this. The sword only shows me the stone, not where it is."

"That is only because you are not in harmony with your sword," Anet explained. "It is not just a tool, Lion-O; it is also a part of you. You must try again."

Lion-O sighed before bringing up the guard. "Sword of Omens, give me Sight Beyond Sight."

The Eye of Thundera glowed as he was shown a vision. Through his vision, he began to focus on a pink stone, energy flowing through its crystalline structure. But that was all he saw before his vision faded.

Lion-O sighed. "It's all just the same," he said, frustrated. "I see the stone, but not where it is. What exactly am I supposed to do?"

"Try to calm yourself, Lion-O," Anet said. "You need to focus on what you seek. Only then will you find the stone. Now, try using your sword again."

The young lion took a few calming breaths before bring his sword back up to his face. "Try to focus," Lion-O whispered. "Sword of Omens, give me Sight Beyond Sight."

His teal eyes glowed as the sword showed him the Spirit Stone once again. But now the vision was changing; Lion-O's sight panned away from the stone. The lion then saw a small shack at the far edge of the village. This is it, the prince thought. This is where the Spirit Stone is.

Lion-O raced past Anet and Cheetara in his rush to reach the stone. After a bit of searching, the lion found the shack in his vision. Running as fast as his feet would allow him, the prince finally reached the door and pulled it open finding…

…nothing! There was nothing inside the shack. No stone, only a large mop and a bucket.

"Oh, yes," Anet said as he and Cheetara caught up to him, "this is where we keep some of our cleaning supplies."

"It can't be," Lion-O said in disbelief. "I saw that the stone was here."

Anet scratched the top of his head. "I don't think it was ever here," he said, "but I know it is somewhere. Perhaps if you were to meditate on this, you would find the answer."

A vicious growl emanated from Lion-O's throat before he slammed his fist against the shack and stormed off. Cheetara watched his retreating form with a worried look on her face. The cheetah knew that her prince was angry, but it was most likely with himself.

"It was Cheetara, correct?" Anet asked. "I meant what I said about the meditation; it could really help him. You are all welcome to stay as long as it takes to find the Spirit Stone."

"Thank you, Anet," Cheetara bowed. "You are most kind." The Head Cleric then went off to hopefully find her prince.

* * *

Lion-O had found himself alone on the other side of the village. He took deep breaths as he drew his sword from the Claw Shield and stared vehemently at it.

"Lion-O!" He could hear Cheetara's voice calling out to him, her footsteps approaching. "Is everything alright?"

The prince swiftly turned to glare at her, his eyes narrowing. "Are you really asking me that?" Lion-O hissed, the venom in his voice causing the cheetah to step back in shock. "I have my father attacking us on one side and Mumm-Ra on the other," Lion-O lifted up the Sword of Omens, "and this stupid sword is wasting our time with cryptic visions." The lion then threw his sword in anger, the metal clanging as it hit the ground.

"Lion-O," Cheetara placed a hand on his shoulder, "it will all be okay. I know you will find the stone."

"You keep saying that over and over again," Lion-O seethed, "and it doesn't help us one bit. Right now, you and your stupid words are just as _useless_ as that sword."

Cheetara's eyes went wide as she heard that, and tears began to slightly brim. The anger from the prince's face disappeared as he saw what his words had done. "Cheetara," he said, "I didn't mean…I'm sor—"

"It's okay, Lion-O," Cheetara said, wiping her tears and lacing her hands with his. "I know you're angry, and I know you're frustrated."

The prince shook his head. "That doesn't excuse what I said."

The Head Cleric caressed his cheek. "But that is how you feel," Cheetara said. "I know how you are feeling, but I meant what I said. You _will_ find the stone; it will just take time."

"Time isn't exactly on our side, Cheetara," Lion-O conceded.

"I know," the cheetah sighed, "but Anet has offered us some help. Perhaps meditating with him and the other elephants will help find the stone."

Lion-O nodded. "How can you love someone like me?" he asked suddenly.

Cheetara smiled before wrapping her arms around his neck. "That's easy, Lion-O," she said. "You have a kind and beautiful heart. Remember those Lizards back in Thundera? You were willing to help them despite their species and status. No other Cat would have lifted a finger for them. That's why I love you, Lion-O, and why I always will."

The cheetah placed a chaste kiss on his lips before they leaned toward each other, their foreheads touching. They stayed like this for some time before they left to join the others. The Rebel Prince and Head Cleric only hoped that they would find the Spirit Stone soon.


	11. Chapter XI: Thunder-Walker

**I own nothing! (Except what I make up for these stories, that's what I own!)**

_**ThunderCats: War of Kings**_

_**Chapter XI: Thunder-Walker**_

Looking through his spyglass while lying on his stomach, Tygra could see soldiers of the traitorous Order of the Hand patrolling the village's perimeter. So far, he'd managed to memorize several of their patrols and he had worked out a weakness.

They, of course, had to avoid the main entrance to the village, where it was guarded by two of the Order's so called ThunderTanks. Tygra had begun to formulate a plan to sneak into the village through one of the gaps in the patrol routes.

"Tygra?" Lynx-O asked. The general was lying on his stomach right next to him. "Are we ready to move in?"

Tygra kept observing the troop movements. "Soon," he said, "we just need—wait a minute! I see something happening."

Tygra watched two soldiers standing next to one of the tanks suddenly stand straight and salute. A third soldier appeared whose helmet was adorned with a gold trident that seemed to mark him as a high-ranking officer.

"I see someone that may be their captain," Tygra said to the blind general. "If we capture him and interrogate him, he could give up the location of the Cat's Lair."

The tiger then realized that he would be one step closer to rescuing Cheetara. One step closer to freeing her from Lion-O's manipulations. One step closer to forging a new future together.

Tygra could see it now, the tiger himself reigning over a peaceful Thundera with Cheetara as his queen. Their two children playing under the supervision of their governess, while the cheetah's belly was swollen with their third. This was how it was meant to be, and when Lion-O and his rebellion were finally put down, it would be a reality.

"When do we move in?" Lynx-O asked, shaking the prince out of his thoughts.

Tygra looked into his spyglass and saw one soldier patrolling on his own, and he saw the weapon that the soldier carried. A plan began to formulate in Tygra's head. Those weapons were somewhat similar to crossbows. If they could manage to take any weapons from the soldiers he and his men could dispatch, they may have a chance to end this as quickly as possible.

"We move now," Tygra said as he and the general rose.

The soldiers that accompanied them rose from the ground as well. The tiger had arrived at Cavahna with thirty soldiers; he had only brought fifteen of them with him to this village. Hopefully, they would be enough to take the village.

Leading both Lynx-O and his men, Tygra maneuvered out of sight of anyone that might randomly look out to the horizon and spot them. Hiding amongst the tall grass, they reached the edge of the village before stopping.

They waited for some time before the lone soldier began to pass by, just as Tygra knew he would. He signaled for his men to stand down until he made his move.

Tygra waited until the soldier was close enough for him to use his whip and then struck with his weapon. The bolos of his whip wrapped around the soldier's ankle and the tiger pulled with all his might. The surprised soldier fell forward, dropping his weapon as he fell on the dirt.

Tygra was quick to pin him to the ground. "Someone grab his weapon," Tygra ordered his men, "and bind his wrists as well as gag him."

The soldiers did as they were told. One cat had picked up the fallen weapon while two others approached the pinned soldier and tied his wrists with rope. They also removed his strange helmet and gagged him with some cloth.

"Private," Tygra addressed the cat that picked up the weapon, "do you think you can handle that thing?"

The Private moved the rifle into a proper grip. "No problem, Your Highness," he said. "It's just like a crossbow; I can handle it fine."

Tygra nodded as some of his men began to complain about the squirming soldier of the Order. The same soldier looked to the tiger as he tried to shout out something incoherent. "Myhmy mrhp," he seemed to be saying.

"What's he squirming about for?" Tygra asked annoyed.

Lynx-O leaned closer to the bound soldier, his ears twitching as it picked up sound. "I believe he's trying to say…booby trap."

"Booby trap?" Tygra said confused. "Why on Third Earth would he—" And just like that, realization struck the prince. He quickly turned to the armed Private, the grip of his newly acquired weapon flashing a white light before turning an angry red. "Private, drop the—"

The warning came too late. Thousands of volts of electric current surged from the rifle's grip and into the Private's body. The soldier's body jerked and the weapon smoked as it delivered its lethal counter-measure.

It was only seconds before the Private dropped the rifle as he fell face-forward, dead before he even hit the ground. All who witnessed this only looked upon both the smoking weapon and the dead body, trying to comprehend what their eyes had seen.

Tygra audibly gulped in fear. "Okay," he said nervously, "let's all remember not to pick up any of those weapons again."

Bursts of static sounded from the soldier's helmet before a voice seemed to be speaking from it. _"One of our rifles just activated its theft prevention protocols,"_ the voice said. _"All units spread out and search everywhere; have the villagers barricade themselves in their homes as well."_

Tygra cursed as he ordered his men to drag their new prisoner into a nearby alleyway. Hopefully, it would provide them with a good hiding place as they tried to formulate a new plan. The prince and general were now down to fourteen men (not counting themselves). They had to find a way to minimize remaining casualties.

Tygra panted as he leaned against the wall. "I can't believe that just happened," he said, shocked. "Why would they make weapons that could do that? It's barbaric!"

"What you call 'barbaric'," Lynx-O began, "I call creative strategy. The weapon kills any enemy that tries to take it for his own _and_ it sends out a message to any other enemy soldiers. Not to mention how it strikes at morale."

Tygra sighed in exasperation. Lynx-O seemed to be admiring their enemy while the tiger tried to think of another plan of attack. They obviously couldn't use the Order of the Hand's weapons or they would be dead.

One of Lynx-O's ears twitched as his body stiffened. "Someone's here," he said softly.

Tygra quirked one of his eyebrows, but before he could say anything, the Order soldier was suddenly running off. The tiger saw that his once bound hands were now free. The ropes seemed to have been cut, but by whom?

The two soldiers that were guarding him ran off to re-capture him. The air shimmered in front of them and an armored figure appeared. He drew a sword from his back and, with one slash, cut down the two cats. His blade had cut through the armor and reached flesh and blood. They were both dead before they hit the ground.

"Traitorous bastard!" one of Tygra's men roared and ran forward with his own sword. The armored figure's hand touched his gauntlet and he disappeared. The soldier swung his sword where the figure once stood, but the blade only hit air.

Tygra bit back a curse. Not only did their captive get away, but two of his men were just killed by one of the invisible swordsmen. The tiger had only heard about the Technology that had allowed them to allegedly defeat Cheetara—a _Cleric_—when the Royal Palace was attacked.

"How many men did we lose?" Lynx-O asked. The general didn't need eyes to know that there was death in the air.

"We lost two," Tygra sighed. They were now down to twelve men, three of their soldiers killed within minutes of each other.

"We need to move on, Tygra," Lynx-O said. "If we keep sitting here, we'll all be killed!"

The crown prince knew he was right. "Alright," he said, "let's go."

They carefully made their way through the village, peeking through each corner to make sure none of their enemies were around. Tygra swore that if they made it out of here alive, they would go straight back to Thundera and bring an entire army to this village and kill all of these traitors.

"There they are!"

Tygra saw several of the Order's soldiers before they aimed their weapons and fired. Laser bolts flew past the tiger, lynx, and their soldiers as they serpentined through the alleyways. The prince and general, however, had lost three more of their soldiers to the Order and their Technology.

They eventually came out of the alleys and into the center of the village. Tygra, Lynx-O, and the remaining nine men that came with them were surrounded by enemy soldiers, their Technological weapons trained on them.

Tygra saw the officer he spied earlier approach them. He removed his helmet and revealed his panther heritage. "You all must realize that this was a foolish error," he said before he turned to one of his soldiers. "Did you find anyone else?"

"No, Captain," the soldier said. "This seems to be all of them."

"Excellent," the panther nodded. The Captain then addressed the lynx. "The fabled General Lynx-O. I must admit, I would have been honored if we had met under different circumstances."

He then turned to the tiger. "And then there's you," the Captain said in disdain. "Prince Tygra, the False Prince of Thundera. I will only be glad to drag you in front of Lord Lion-O and the council in chains."

"You speak bold words now, _traitor_," Tygra hissed, "but we'll see how those words matter when our roles are reversed."

The Captain laughed. "Surely you jest, _tiger_. Look around you, you're surrounded by my men with no hope of escape. The only way you will get out of this alive is if you surrender to us."

Tygra narrowed his eyes in anger. "I'll never surrender to an order of traitors!" he exclaimed boldly.

"You would know the meaning of treachery, _tiger_," the Captain hissed. "After Mumm-Ra's fall, your clan rose up against Leo, our savior and rightful Lord. You live today because Leo showed mercy and did not wipe your kind off the face of Third Earth."

"But it's not just you," the Captain said. "Claudus seeks to betray both Thundera and Leo's memory by placing _you_ on the throne instead of our rightful king, Lion-O. Not to mention what he did to Her Majesty, Queen Leona."

Tygra balled his fists. "You leave my mother out of this, you _bastard_!"

"_Your_ mother," that Captain arched his eyebrows. "You talk about the queen as if she birthed you herself. In my opinion, Her Majesty—the gods rest her soul—should have left you in whatever ditch she found you in the first place. After all, you're most likely the reason we're rebelling in the first place."

A cruel sneer appeared on the Captain's face. "No one will ever accept you as their king. The people of Thundera will celebrate as King Lion-O takes his rightful place on the throne and he will bring you and that traitorous _bastard_ Claudus down."

At that moment, one of the Captain's men fell forward. They all looked to see an arrow lodged in the dead soldier's neck, the shaft protruding between the helmet and armor. Whoever did that was most likely an expert archer.

"You said there was no one else here!" the Captain roared to one of his men.

"There wasn't, sir," the soldier said, "I swear!"

"That's because we only just arrived here." The Captain looked to see at least ten archers aiming their bows and arrows at them. They seemed to be led by a bobcat wearing rust-colored armor along with his fellow soldiers. "I am Captain Palles of Cavahna," he said, "I was sent here by Lady Kotiya to reinforce Prince Tygra and his men."

"This is impossible," The Captain said. "How did you get past our ThunderTanks and Ghost soldiers?"

"We managed to capture the soldiers that operate your so-called 'ThunderTanks'," Palles said. "We also managed to lure out these Ghost soldiers of yours."

The Captain flashed a cocky smile. "You do realize this is foolish, Captain Palles," he said. "My men have weapons far superior to yours. You will all be dead within a matter of seconds."

"Unfortunately for you," Palles began, "that is no longer the case. My archers are expert marksmen as you saw with your dead man. You would all have arrows in your throats before you can pull the trigger. I suggest you drop your weapons and surrender."

The Captain looked between his men and Palles's archers. For a moment, Tygra thought that the panther would refuse this chance to surrender, fanatics like him usually didn't.

But the Captain surprised him. "Do as he says," he ordered.

Slowly, all of the soldiers lowered their weapons to the ground as Palles's men approached and bound their wrists together. Tygra and Lynx-O walked to the bobcat. "It's good that you showed up when you did, Captain," the prince said.

"I am only glad that I made it in time, Your Highness," Palles said. "Who knows what they could have done to you and the general."

One of the bobcat's men pointed to one of the houses. "There's another one!"

The three turned to see another soldier of the Order running towards a strange steel building that Tygra did not notice with his spyglass earlier (he was not exactly looking for anything like that). Two of Palles's men and one of Tygra's immediately gave chase. As fast as they were, the soldier was quicker and managed to enter the steel building through a side door before locking it.

"He won't be able to stay in there forever, Your Highness," Palles addressed the prince. "He'll have to come out of there eventually."

"I have a bad feeling about this," Lynx-O said.

"What do you mean?" Tygra asked, rounding on the general.

"I do not believe he went in there to seek a hiding place," Lynx-O said. "He may be trying to arm himself."

Tygra could hear the panther laugh quietly to himself. "And may I ask what is so funny?"

The sound of scraping metal could be heard as the front of the steel building opened like a set of double doors. The three soldiers stood in shock before one of them stepped closer to peer into the darkness.

He had no time to react as a steel leg stepped out of the shadows, its metal foot crushing the soldier into a bloody mess. Bursts of light shot out and killed the last two soldiers.

Tygra watched in horror as a huge metal beast walked out of the steel building. The legs were like that of a bird, with what appeared to be a cat's head above them. A pair of arms protruded from the head, with a laser weapon on one side and a missile launcher on the other.

"You were all fools to come here," the Panther mocked. "Our new _Thunder-Walker_ will annihilate you all."

Tygra watched his men and Palles's scatter as the Thunder-Walker opened fire with its laser, beams of light killing those that were caught in their paths. The steel behemoth launched one of its missiles, taking out four soldiers at once.

"What are we supposed to do?" Tygra asked in desperation. "That thing is unstoppable."

"Everything has a weak point, Tygra," Lynx-O said calmly, "something we can use to our advantage. You must find that weakness and strike at it."

Tygra looked to the so called "Thunder-Walker". He watched the steel monstrosity walk around in search of its newest target. The tiger looked to its legs. He wondered if he could somehow tip that thing over.

"I have an idea," Tygra said to the lynx and bobcat, "but I'll need the two of you to help me."

"What's the plan?" Palles asked.

Tygra looked to the bobcat. "I need you to lure him down the street, Captain," the tiger said. "I know it's risky, but it needs to be done."

Palles nodded. "And what will you and General Lynx-O be doing?"

"We'll be trying to bring that thing down," Tygra answered. "Now go!"

Palles nodded as he raced toward the Thunder-Walker, trying to find some way of getting the attention of the person inside. Picking up some large rocks, he threw one of them at the steel monstrosity.

The pilot inside heard the loud thump of stone colliding with metal. He used his controls to turn the cockpit to the left, seeing a bobcat throwing another rock. "Over hear you rusting scrap pile," the soldier yelled as he threw a third rock. "Come and get me."

As the third rock hit the vehicle, the pilot narrowed his eyes behind his visor. "You are one _dead_ bobcat," he said, using the controls to move forward.

Palles dropped the remaining rocks and ran as the Thunder-Walker began its chase. The bobcat began to serpentine as the vehicle behind him began to fire its laser, bolts of energy firing in rapid succession. One blast almost managed to hit the young soldier's foot.

The pilot was so engrossed on his target that he did not notice Prince Tygra's whip on the ground. He did not notice how the tiger and General Lynx-O pulled with all their strength as they brought the whip up when Palles had passed them.

The two cats strained their muscles as the Thunder-Walker's leg got caught in the whip, knocking it off balance. The metal roared as the behemoth fell onto the hard ground.

The hiss of escaping air sounded as a hatch opened and the pilot dragged himself out of the vehicle, grunting in pain as he did. He could hardly do a thing as Palles began to bind his wrists with rope.

"I should kill you for what you did," the bobcat said, "but you are more valuable to us alive."

Palles dragged the pilot over to Tygra, Lynx-O, and the other bound prisoners as their remaining men gathered around. The bobcat could see the villagers peeking out of their homes and shops, looking in shock at the Thunderian soldiers.

"Your Highness," Palles said, "what do you want us to do now?"

"We'll be taking the prisoners to Cavahna for interrogation," Tygra said. "But first, collect all their Technology and set it to flames."

Palles and his men followed the prince's orders, carefully collecting the advanced weapons and setting them on fire. They even managed to set fire to the ThunderTanks and Thunder-Walker. It wasn't long before Tygra took his prisoners out of the village and onto the road to Cavahna.

Leaving the burning tech behind him, the Crown Prince of Thundera considered this a small victory against Lion-O and his order of traitors…and one small step to reclaiming his true love.

"Cheetara," Tygra whispered to himself, "I will free you soon."


	12. Chapter XII: Consequences

**ThunderCats (created by the late Ted Wolf) is owned by Warner Bros. I own nothing.**

_**ThunderCats: War of Kings**_

_**Chapter XII: Consequences**_

It took Mumm-Ra a few days in his crow form to return to his Black Pyramid. He cursed that impetuous Lion-O and his meddling ThunderCats; if it had not been for them, both the War Stone and Book of Omens would have been in his possession.

The mummy's rage-filled gaze rested squarely on the dark pool in his chamber. It showed Lion-O, Sword of Omens in hand, meditating with a group of elephants. The lion was no doubt reflecting on the possible location of the Spirit Stone. Mumm-Ra knew that the stone lay hidden within that village, but where was it hidden?

"My Lord," the voice of Slithe called out, "I have brought them here as you commanded."

The Lizard War Chief entered with both Kaynar and Addicus following close behind. Most animals would cower in fear at the sight of Mumm-Ra, but these two were not most animals. Kaynar looked to the mummy with demented glee, while Addicus was indifferent about it all.

Mumm-Ra only hoped that these two would be as fearsome and brutal as he had heard. If not, if they proved to be a waste of time, he would gladly turn their bodies to dust and ash.

"The two of you have been chosen to serve alongside Slithe as my new generals," Mumm-Ra said. "The lion who calls himself the Rebel Prince, Lion-O, is a threat to me. He and his ThunderCats persist in defying me."

Kaynar chuckled. "It's been a while since I've skinned some Cats," the Jackalman said. "I'm gonna save this 'Lion-O' for last, after I kill his friends."

Addicus smiled as he rubbed his stomach. "Just remember this, Kaynar," he said, "I want whatever's left over. I've never had the taste of Cat before, and I'm eager to try."

These two, Mumm-Ra thought, were even more despicable then he had imagined. The mummy grinned; this was better than he anticipated.

"Excellent," the Evil One said before turning to the War Chief. "Slithe, I need you to summon one of your best lieutenants and bring him to me. I have an assignment for him."

Moments later, Sauro entered the chamber of the Ever-Living One. The hulking lizard was exactly the kind of person Mumm-Ra wanted to lead an army straight to the Elephant village. He could be the key to defeating Lion-O and taking the War Stone.

"Lieutenant Sauro," The Evil One said, "I have a special task for you."

"I live to serve, Lord Mumm-Ra," the lizard bowed. "What is your command?"

"The Rebel Prince Lion-O is searching the Elephant village for the Spirit Stone," the mummy said. "You will lead an army to this village and destroy him and his ThunderCats before they can find it."

"It will be done, my master," Sauro nodded, "and I will destroy anyone and anything that gets in my way."

Mumm-Ra grinned. "That is good to hear, Lieutenant. I have one more thing for you before you depart."

The Evil One extended his right hand toward the dark pool, ancient words of power flowing from his lips. A red pillar of light shot out from the pool, crimson lightning arcing and striking the walls. The pillar of light soon disappeared and a black Warhammer floated in its place.

The weapon hovered over to Sauro, landing in the lizard's grip. The lieutenant looked to see the purple runes that seemed to pulse like a heartbeat, a glow emanating from each symbol.

"That hammer was forged by the power of the Ancient Spirits," Mumm-Ra said. "With it, you will have the power to rival Lion-O and his pathetic Sword of Omens."

Sauro could feel the power within this weapon. He imagined himself fighting this Lord Lion-O and ending his life with the warhammer. He would pry the War Stone from the Sword of Omens and present it to his master.

"I will not fail you, Lord Mumm-Ra," Sauro said. "I will not allow these _ThunderCats_ to succeed."

With that, the lizard left his master's chamber and exited the Black Pyramid. He gathered many of his fellow lizards together and departed for the Elephant village. Nothing would get in his way.

Mumm-Ra smiled with glee as he changed into his crow form and flew in the same direction as Sauro. The Evil One would reach the village first, and wait for Lion-O to find the Spirit Stone before taking it for himself.

* * *

Once they returned to Cavahna with their prisoners, Tygra and Lynx-O took them straight to Kotiya's dungeons for interrogation. The Crown Prince would learn the location of that Cat's Lair even if took the rest of his life to find it.

Though many of the Order's soldiers were chained to the cell's wall, Tygra focused squarely on the panther that led them. The Captain and his soldiers had said nothing since their capture back in the village.

The Prince stared hard at the panther. "What's the matter, Captain?" Tygra asked mockingly. "Back in the village, I couldn't get you to shut up. But now, it seems you have nothing to say. Why is that?"

The Captain said nothing, his gaze focused straight ahead, past the tiger. The Crown Prince growled before he slammed his fist against the wall.

"Say something, damn it!" Tygra roared before he paced the cell, his glare landing on the other soldiers. "Why won't any of you say anything?" All he got was the continued silence of the Order's soldiers. The tiger seethed as he exited the cell and met with Lynx-O and Palles.

"I don't understand," Tygra addressed them. "It's been hours, and we have nothing. They won't say a thing!"

"Neither did the soldier we captured after the Order's attack on the palace," Lynx-O said. "He refused to speak after he had been caught."

"Why do you suppose that is?" Palles asked curiously.

"The Order of the Hand must somehow train their members to resist any form of interrogation," Lynx-O explained. "The way of the Order is through secrecy; what would be the point if their members could give away all their secrets?"

"I'll make them talk, General," Tygra boasted. "I just need to offer them the right incentive."

Tygra walked back into the cell. He had a friendly smile on his face as he regarded his prisoners.

"Look," the tiger began, "I don't like doing this, but I don't exactly have a choice in the matter." Tygra began to pace the cell, his eyes still on the Captain and his soldiers. "I know some things were said, but I'm willing to put all of that behind us and start again fresh."

"You do realize what will happen to all of you, right?" Tygra asked, faking a concerned tone. "Once Lion-O's little rebellion fails, you'll all be branded traitors and sentenced to death. But I can help you avoid that."

The Crown Prince took out a folded map. "All I need is for one of you to point out the location of the Cat's Lair on this map, and I will guarantee a full pardon for all of you. Not just the one who tells me the location, but every single last one of you."

"After this," Tygra gestured to all of his prisoners with his hand, "you are all free to return home to your friends and family. You can live the rest of your lives in the company of your loved ones. So, let me ask you this, does anyone have something to say?"

For a moment, there was silence as the Order's soldiers regarded each other. Tygra was grinning in his mind. It was only a matter of time before one of them gave up the Cat's Lair, and he would finally be able to save Cheetara from Lion-O's machinations.

Finally, a voice called out. "I have something to say."

Tygra turned to see a young bobcat, who couldn't have been older than twenty summers, staring at the Crown Prince. The tiger unfolded the map and walked to the soldier.

"Yes," Tygra said. "Is it about the Cat's Lair's location?"

The bobcat nodded.

Tygra smiled. "Good," he said, holding up the map. "Where is it?"

"Well," the bobcat began, "you see, there's this trick that helps you find it on any map."

"Really?" Tygra asked amazed. "What do I have to do with this one?"

The young soldier gestured for the tiger to come closer, which the Prince did. "Here's what you do," the bobcat said. "Okay, you take off your pants, bend over, and shove that map so far up your ass that every time you visit the water closet, you'll be shitting all over Third Earth."

The bobcat's fellow prisoners chuckled and snickered as the tiger felt nothing but anger over this humiliation. Before he could answer, the young soldier continued to speak.

"If you think that you can bribe us with some fancy royal pardon, then you're sadly mistaken." The bobcat's gazed hardened. "Some of us would rather _die_ than betray King Lion-O. Once he takes the throne, you and Claudus will be the ones in chains."

Tygra took even breaths to calm himself down. "Now look, I'm sure we can all work something—"

He was interrupted when the bobcat spat right in his face.

The spittle trailing down the tiger's cheek was the straw that broke the Thunderian mount's back. Tygra gave into his rage and landed a punch at the bobcat's face. He continued to strike at the young soldier until he found himself being dragged out of the cell by Lynx-O and Palles.

"That's enough, Tygra," the general said as the captain locked the cell. "You can't let them get to you."

"Did you not see what he did to me?" Tygra roared in humiliation.

"Obviously I didn't," Lynx-O said, reminding the prince of his blindness. "But I don't need eyes to see that he is playing on your temper. That is your weakness, Tygra. You cannot let your anger be your undoing."

Tygra was about to argue when Palles cut in. "We should leave and continue this tomorrow," the captain said. "We might have a better chance of getting the location once we all have a good night's rest."

Tygra found himself agreeing with his suggestion. But before he could leave the dungeon, the same voice called out.

"Hey, _False Prince_." The bobcat may have had a broken nose and a bleeding lip, but he still had that look of defiance. "You think you can break us, but you can't. You never will."

Tygra balled his fists in anger as he left the dungeon. After all this was done, the tiger would make sure that one bobcat would pay for humiliating him.

* * *

Lady Kotiya had brought out her finest wines and ales along with the most exquisite foods for a celebratory feast. With a mug of ale in his hand, and surrounded by servants and others that came to join in the festivities, Tygra could hardly find a reason to celebrate. Next to the tiger, Lynx-O nibbled on some meat and sipped a bit of wine from his glass.

"Your Highness," Kotiya appeared next to the prince, placing a plateful of food in front of him. "You should try some of this roast; it is very succulent."

Tygra nodded to the leopard. "Thank you," he said before taking a bite. It tasted a bit bland to him. Lately, food had lost his taste after Cheetara had left Thundera with Lion-O.

"If I may say, Prince Tygra," Kotiya said, "you seem to be a bit distracted as of late."

Tygra decided not to mention the cheetah. "It's all so frustrating," the tiger said. "After all our efforts, Lion-O and that traitorous Order of the Hand are still free to rebel against us."

"You must be under a lot of stress," Kotiya said before a sultry grin appeared. "If you wish, you could go up to the quarters I set up for you and I'll send over my best masseuse to help you relax."

Tygra gave her suggestion some thought before he nodded. "That is a good idea," he said. "Thank you, Lady Kotiya; I'll head up right away."

With that, the tiger stood up and left the table. Kotiya's lust-filled gaze watched him walk away, purring at the possibilities tonight could bring.

The lady governor's attention then turned to the blind cat. "And what of you, General Lynx-O?" she asked. "For a great war hero like yourself, it would not be hard for me to acquire you some _company_ for the night."

The general was silent for a while. "No thank you, Lady Kotiya," he said. "I'm fine on my own."

Lynx-O heard Kotiya leave the table. He had a feeling that the leopard had plans of her own for the Crown Prince. The general hoped that the tiger would be able to handle her.

"General?" the familiar voice of Private Gatto said to him.

Lynx-O turned his head toward the wildcat. "Yes, Gatto, is there something you need?"

The soldier seemed hesitant. "I…I just wanted to say that when we went into the village today…I was prepared to die."

Lynx-O was confused by his statement. "What do you mean by that?"

"After you told the story about Hachiman and that Drifter, you told me that I should be prepared to die when I went into battle." Gatto cleared his throat. "That's what I did. I was prepared to die, but I lived to see another day."

Lynx-O did not know what to say. "That…that is good, Gatto, you should be proud."

The general heard the wildcat walking away. At least the private took what he said to heart. If only the prince could do the same thing.

* * *

Tygra sat on the bed in the private quarters arranged by Lady Kotiya, waiting for the masseuse. He had to admit, the prince was under some stress, and he could use some help in relieving all the tension. The tiger laid back a bit on the plush mattress, feeling the cool silk sheets beneath his fingertips. It was generous of Kotiya to allow him to be lodged in such luxury.

There was a knock on his door. "Come in," Tygra said. The door opened and his masseuse stepped in. But for some odd reason, she seemed to look like…"Lady Kotiya?"

Closing the door behind her, the leopard was dressed in a red silk robe that ended just above her knees. The amount of cleavage being shown made the tiger wonder if she was wearing anything underneath. That thought alone made his blood heat up.

"Prince Tygra," the Governor nodded to him as she approached a dresser.

"Um…" Tygra didn't know what to say. "Not be rude or anything, but why are you here? Didn't you say that you would send a masseuse?"

Kotiya turned to look at him, a sultry smile on her lips. "I did, didn't I? But then again, I thought that I would take care of your needs _personally_," she said as she winked at the tiger. She then threw him a towel. "Now, go into the next room and come out in _only_ that towel."

Tygra felt his cheeks blush red as he did as he was told. As he undressed himself, he couldn't help but feel nervous along with the lust already stirring in his abdomen. The tiger knew what Kotiya has planned for tonight; it wasn't like he was a virgin.

Tygra remembered his first time. He was sixteen, and his father had introduced him to the daughter of a governor of a Thunderian settlement some leagues away. She was both graceful and seductive, and the tiger was surprised that she snuck into his bedroom that very night and the two proceeded to enjoy each other's _company_.

Tygra didn't know that the girl's father had found out about their late night exploit until the next morning, where he overheard them talking. The Governor was chastising his daughter over the fact that she had bedded a "filthy tiger". It seemed that even when he was the current Heir Apparent back then, no one could accept him.

But now they had to accept him. Lion-O was a traitor, and Tygra was the heir to the throne. They had no choice but to acknowledge him as their future king.

Wearing only the towel that he was given, Tygra returned to his bedroom to find that his hostess had been busy. The only light in the room were the candles that Kotiya had placed near the bed, with the leopard herself standing next to the nightstand that held several bottles of various massage oils.

"Lie down, Your Highness," she said in a sultry tone. "Tonight, you will be more _relaxed_ than you have ever been in your life."

Kotiya gazed at the prince's muscles as he laid down on his chest, her eyes gleaming with hunger. She may have tried her charms on the Rebel Prince, but in her own opinion, the tiger was so much more appealing.

The leopard poured one of the oils onto her hands before she began to rub it into the tiger's back. Tygra sighed as he felt his muscles give way to the warm oils and Kotiya's soothing hands.

"So much tension," the governor said softly, reveling in the prince's firm muscles.

"This rebellion has taken its toll on me," Tygra admitted.

"Tell me your woes," Kotiya said, her voice an alluring whisper.

Tygra was silent for a moment before he snarled a name. "Lion-O."

Kotiya paused in her ministrations, if only for a moment. "What about him?" she asked.

"Everything that I had," Tygra growled, "everything that mattered to me, he stole it all."

"The Sword of Omens was a proud symbol of our Kingdom," he went on, "passed down from father to son. I was meant to use its power to secure Thundera's place on Third Earth. Now, Lion-O is using it in his perversion of King Leo's memory."

Tygra paused as he moaned in pleasure; the leopard had gotten rid of a knot in his back. "But before all that, there was my mother. She took me in and loved me as a true mother, as if I was her flesh-and-blood son. But then she died. She died spawning that bastard _Lion-O_ into the world."

Tygra closed his eyes, doing his best to keep all the rage he felt inside. "Then he took _her_."

"Her?" Kotiya asked as she massaged his lower back. "You mean Lady Cheetara, the Head Cleric?"

"She was supposed to be _mine_," Tygra snarled. "I met Cheetara first, years ago, before Jaga took her in and made her a Cleric. She was supposed to be my Queen. But Lion-O took her. Lion-O seduced and manipulated her, took her innocence, and stole her away from me."

The leopard saw him ball his fist. "Lion-O took away all that was rightfully _mine_," Tygra seethed, "and for that I will _destroy_ him. I will erase every trace of him; it will be as if he never existed."

"Shhhh," Kotiya hushed from behind as she continued the massage. "There will be no more of those kinds of thoughts. Tonight is a night for _pleasure_."

At that, Tygra felt a feeling of lust stir in his abdomen. He sat up to look at her; the leopard could see the carnal hunger in his eyes. "Is that so?" he asked. "And what sort of pleasure will there be?"

Kotiya's answer was a passionate kiss that Tygra eagerly reciprocated. The leopard's hands pressed firmly against his chest while the tiger's own fingers traced the curves of her body. The governor gasped as the prince placed kisses along her neck.

"_Yes_," she moaned. "Forget all that ails you. Let me make your woes go away." Kotiya leaned closer to whisper in his ears. "Let me be your queen, oh mighty Prince of Thundera. I will be a better and more faithful wife to you than that _whore_ could ever be. I will bear you strong sons and beautiful daughters. Please, let me love you as only I can. This is all I ask of you."

Tygra felt his whole body freeze at her words. He ignored the feeling of the leopard's hot breath against his ear as he began to feel outrage over her passionate words. As the tiger pushed her roughly off the bed, Kotiya was surprised that she found herself on the hardwood floor.

Tygra's voice brought her attention back to the bed. "I think I'm done with this _massage_ of yours, Lady Kotiya," he said her name with disdain. "I have to admit, you would have been a good lay. But there is no way in damnation that I would ever make you my queen."

Kotiya stood up, brushing the sides of her robe. "This is about that Head Cleric Cheetara isn't it?" she asked. "Do you actually think that whore will want you after having Lord Lion-O between her legs?"

Tygra allowed his rage to take over as he pinned her against the wall, the fingers of one of his hands closing in on her neck tightly. "You know nothing," he snarled as the leopard gasped for air. "Cheetara will be my queen. I will kill that bastard Lion-O, and I will make her mine."

The single distant blow from a horn could be heard through the walls. Tygra released the governor as he realized it was the horn from the front gate. "What does that mean?" he asked.

Kotiya rubbed her bruised neck as she coughed slightly. "They blew the horn once," she said. "That means refugees."

Tygra stripped himself of the towel and quickly dressed back into his clothes. As he left the bedroom, he left a very ignored and a very angry leopard alone. The tiger was nearing the main entrance of the estate when he saw Lynx-O.

"Your Highness," the blind cat addressed him, "what is going on?"

"Refugees or something," Tygra said. "Wait here, I'll be back soon."

Tygra found a group of Cats gathering around the town square, murmurs traveling through the crowd. Tygra pushed through the mass of people, and the sight he saw was not a welcome one.

In the center was a crying mother with a young boy no older than five in her arms. "Noah," she said as she shook him, "we're here. You can wake up now, Noah. Please, wake up for mommy."

Tygra could see the blood running down the side of the boy's head. He looked around and saw that no one wanted to tell the woman that her son was dead.

Tygra approached the woman. "What happened?" he asked her.

The mother sniffed. "Lizards raided my village," she said. "They killed everyone after they took everything of value to us."

Worried murmurs echoed through the gathered crowd. Tygra wondered if those same Lizards would come here and attack Cavahna, but that was highly unlikely. Most raiding parties never tried to attack a settlement like this one.

"Which village are you from?" Tygra asked.

The mother glared at him, tear streaks evident on her face. "You should know," she roared, "you and your soldiers were there today!"

This brought the entire attention of the crowd on Tygra. "What are you talking about?" the prince asked.

"Lord Lion-O sent those soldiers to protect us from the Lizards," the mother yelled, anger blazing in her eyes. "And when you and your men came and captured them and burned their Technology, the Lizards saw us as easy picking."

The mother held her son's dead body up for Tygra and the crowd to see. "My neighbors are dead. My husband is dead. My _son_ is dead. EVERYONE IN MY VILLAGE IS DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!"

Outraged shouts began to sound out before Tygra saw the crowd closing in on him. "Wait!" he tried to yell out. "Please, let me explain," but the crowd would hear none of it as their shouts became louder and louder.

Startled yells sounded out as the crowd parted, creating a path for a Thunderian Mount. Tygra was pulled onto the mount's saddle, seeing a familiar face as its rider.

"Please tell me that's you, Tygra?" Lynx-O yelled out.

"Thank the gods you managed to find this mount, General," the prince said, not even asking how the blind cat managed to ride over to him. "I'll take it from here," he said, grasping the reins.

Tygra spurred the mount forward and through the open gate of the settlement. "What about the others?" Lynx-O said.

"Right now, I'm worried about my own life," Tygra admitted. "We run now, and live to see another day."

* * *

"What do you wish us to do, Lady Kotiya?" Captain Palles asked. "The peasants are outside demanding answers."

The leopard in question paced back and forth in her estate's grand hall and tried to think of a way out of her predicament. Vanem, her advisor, watched her closely. He had tried to warn her about this plan of hers, but the governor did not listen. Now they all faced the consequences of her actions.

"What of the men that were accompanied by Prince Tygra?" Kotiya asked as she halted in front of the captain.

Palles's gaze looked downward in despair. "All of His Highness's men were outside the estate when the horn sounded," he said. "They were seized and captured by the mob; we presume they are already dead."

Kotiya was silent for a moment until a plan began to formulate in her head. "They may be dead," she said, "but we still have a chance at getting out of this alive."

She beckoned for both the captain and her advisor to follow her as she guided them to the dungeons. She passed the numerous cells until she came upon the one holding the soldiers of the Order of the Hand. "Open it," she commanded.

Palles briefly hesitated, but did as he was told anyway. With the cell door open, Kotiya walked to the panther chained to the wall. "What a surprise," he said. "I never expected to be visited by the lovely Lady Kotiya. Do what do we owe this honor?"

"As a member of the Order," Kotiya said, "you are sworn to keep its secrets even in death. But as a soldier, you have a personal oath to keep your fellow men alive."

The leopard suddenly drew a dagger and held it up to the throats of one of the prisoners. It was then that the panther noticed the bruises. "What happened to your neck?"

A devious grin appeared on Kotiya's face. "One of the many abuses I suffered as Prince Tygra forced himself on me," she lied, but the panther already knew this wasn't true. "Now, Captain, if you want your men to live past tonight, you will listen to what I have to say."

* * *

After releasing the panther and his men, Kotiya used her lies and falsehoods to calm the mob outside of her estate. She had convinced them that Tygra had barged his way into their settlement and demanded her help in capturing the soldiers of the Order from the neighboring village, threatening charges of treason if she did not comply. She even added her false account on how the tiger had forced himself on their governor as well.

The Order's soldiers left Cavahna with a message for Grand Master Valern: that Kotiya would pledge her full support for Lion-O _and_ ensure that more governors would do the same.

As they returned to the estate, Kotiya handed her advisor a rolled up piece of vellum. "What is this?" Vanem asked.

"An account of what has transpired," Kotiya said. "I want copies made and sent to all settlements still loyal to Claudus. I said I would deliver more support to Lord Lion-O, and I am a woman of my word."

"But, Lady Kotiya," Vanem protested, "it is not the truth."

"Yes," the leopard admitted, "but we will still survive." That was all that mattered to Kotiya now. She may not ever be the queen she wanted herself to be, but she would still keep the power she worked hard to gain.

But she still remembered how Lion-O rejected her. How he and his bitch had humiliated her. And when the time was right, she would do everything in her power to gain her revenge.


	13. Chapter XIII: Into the Astral Plain

**As I have been saying throughout all these chapters, I do NOT own ThunderCats.**

_**ThunderCats: War of Kings**_

_**Chapter XIII: Into the Astral Plain**_

The stolen Thunderian mount carrying both Tygra and Lynx-O trotted slowly on the trail to Thundera. Both cats wore hoods to conceal their faces in case they stumbled upon anyone who might recognize them.

After fleeing Cavahna, Tygra managed to find a nearby cave where he and the general could rest before they traveled back to Thundera in the morning. As he tried to sleep, the tiger faced the nightmares that plagued him until dawn. The faceless villagers that accused him of being responsible for their deaths closed in on him until he felt as if he would suffocate.

Lynx-O had been silent since they both awoke. It unnerved the prince when the general was this quiet. He wondered if the blind cat also had nightmares about the slaughtered villagers.

"Tygra," Lynx-O said, breaking the silence, "when we return to Thundera, we must tell your father what we did. We must face justice for what we have done."

The prince looked back at the general in shock. "What must we face justice for? We did nothing wrong!"

"Our actions led to the slaughter of an entire village," Lynx-O said. "We have violated the Code of Thundera, Justice: To strive to help others and fairness in all acts that are committed. We must pay for our discrepancies."

Tygra looked to the lynx with narrowed eyes. "After everything that's happened to us," the prince began, "all you care about is some useless code of honor."

The tiger ignored the shocked look on the general's face as he spoke again. "We are at war, General Lynx-O," Tygra said sternly. "The Code of Thundera has no place during these times of war."

"Do you hear what you are saying?" Lynx-O asked incredulously. "This is the code of our people! These are the laws and tenants that Leo enacted as he established our great nation. To simply ignore the Code of Thundera is to ignore our culture and heritage, what makes us who we are."

All Tygra did was turn his head back to the path in front of him. "In war, some sacrifices must be made."

Lynx-O would not let the prince have the last word on this. "That does not mean we should sacrifice our honor as well."

Tygra wanted to retort, but the sight before him made him swallow his words. The prince suddenly felt the need to vomit, but did everything to keep the rising bile from spewing out. However, he could do nothing about the gasp that slipped past his lips.

"What is it?" Lynx-O asked. "Do you see something?"

Tygra hesitated for a moment. "It's fine," he lied. "I thought I saw someone trying to tail us, but it was nothing. We should continue forward."

As he urged the mount forward, the Crown Prince tried everything to forget what he had seen. Hanging on a tree branch, with nooses wrapped around their necks, were the dead bodies of Private Gatto and two of his fellow soldiers. Each of them bore a wooden sign hanging from their necks with the word _TRAITORS_ crudely carved into the wood.

* * *

For the past few days, Cheetara had silently observed her prince whenever he would meditate with the Elephants. Lion-O now sat in a meditative position, his legs crossed and his hands on his knees with his back straight. His face was closed and serene as he searched for the meaning of the Spirit Stone.

The frustration Lion-O went through daily still crossed the cheetah's mind. With Mumm-Ra on one side while Claudus and Tygra were on the other, it would not surprise anyone if the Rebel Prince just gave up on it all. But they knew that it would never come to that. Lion-O was one cat that would never surrender; it was one of the reasons why Cheetara loved him.

"Mind if I sit with you?"

Cheetara looked up to see Pumyra. "Go right ahead," the Cleric said.

The puma proceeded to sit on the ground with the cheetah, looking toward the group of Elephants as she did. Both of them sat in silence, until Pumyra finally spoke up.

"Remember what we talked about when we were looking for the Tower?"

"I think so," Cheetara said. "You commented on how the Sword of Omens wasn't alive."

"Right," Pumyra nodded, "and I've been giving it some thought. It's not the Sword that's alive; it's the Eye of Thundera."

Cheetara cocked an eyebrow. "What?"

"Remember what Lion-O told us when Jaga was with him in the Book of Omens?" the puma asked. "The sword gained its power from the Eye of Thundera or War Stone, or whatever you want to call it. The Sword of Omens is a conduit of the stone's power."

Cheetara said nothing, only reflected on what Pumyra had said. She was right; the sword received its power from the stone. If Mumm-Ra fused the Eye of Thundera with his own weapon, who knew how powerful he could be.

"I suppose you have a reason for saying that?" Cheetara asked.

"No one has been asking about Mumm-Ra's own sword," Pumyra said. "He wants the Eye of Thundera to empower _his_ weapon. We need to concentrate on finding that sword and locking it away before finding the other stones."

"We don't have any clues to where the sword is, Pumyra," Cheetara explained. "For now, we can only concentrate on the stones and hope for the best."

The puma nodded before getting up and walking off, leaving Cheetara to observe her Prince. The Cleric suddenly felt drowsy, her eyelids getting heavier. Her eyes were soon closed as she let sleep take over.

* * *

_Cheetara opened her eyes to see the black clouds drifting high above her, a heavy mist surrounding her. Where the cheetah had rested with her back against a pillar, she was now flat on the ground. What was this? Was this a dream or reality?_

"_Hello, Cheetara."_

_The Cleric quickly stood when she recognized the voice of the late Queen Leona. She turned to see the lioness standing only a few feet away. With her here, this must be the Astral Plain._

"_Your Majesty," Cheetara bowed._

_The lioness placed a hand on her shoulder. "There is no need for that, Cheetara," she said, smiling softly._

_Cheetara nodded before taking a look around to see the barren landscape surrounding her. "Why was I brought here?" the cheetah asked. "What is this place?"_

_Leona looked at her solemnly. "It is not my purpose to tell you, Cheetara," she said before turning her head to the right, "but _she _can show you what is happening."_

_The Cleric turned to see that she was not alone with the queen. Standing several feet away was a feminine figure shrouded in a violet cloak. This must be the woman that Lion-O had seen when he went into the Book of Omens._

_Some invisible force compelled Cheetara to make her way closer to the woman. With every step she took, the cheetah sensed a great power emanating from the cloaked figure. She managed to stop herself just a few feet away._

"_Who are you?" Cheetara asked, but the woman did not answer. "Why did you bring me here?"_

_The cheetah did receive an answer this time, but not one that she expected. A long slender finger from the woman's pale hand pointed to where the fog was heaviest. It was then that the mist began to dissipate._

_As the fog drew away, Cheetara took in a sight that filled her with dread. On the horizon was a mountain which she had never seen before. It was like a scar that rose from the earth, black as ash with huge deposits of Thundrillium protruding from the rock, as if the mountain itself bled the mineral._

_Cheetara could hear something over the distance. The sound of a beating heart was getting louder and louder, each of the thumps echoing around her._

_The Cleric suddenly found the earth beneath her moving under her feet. She was being pushed towards the mountain by some invisible force. Darkness soon surrounded her as the cheetah had somehow entered the caverns within the mountain._

_With each thump of the beating heart, a purple light flashed from a deposit of Thundrillium. Something rested within the mineral. It was something evil, and it filled this brave Cleric with fear._

_With a flash of white light, her dream had ended._

* * *

"Hey, Cheetara!" WilyKit said as she shook the Cleric awake. "You gotta see this! Someone's driving the ThunderTank up to the village! You wanna go see Panthro kill that guy?"

Cheetara rubbed her eyes as she tried to comprehend the young kitten's words. Panthro would probably kill anyone that dared to try and drive his "baby". But the question was _who_ was driving it up to the elephant village.

Cheetara and WilyKit wandered over to where they could see the ThunderTank making its way up the road. As predicted, Panthro was having a field day.

"What do you think you're doing in there?" the general yelled as he ran after his "baby". "Get the hell out of my tank!"

The ThunderTank came to a stop, the brakes groaning as the wheels came to rest. The tank's doors opened and soldiers of the Order of the Hand came pouring out of it. Panthro tried to calm his breathing as he approached the group's Captain who had the tank's pilot by his side.

The general brought a single finger up to the Captain's visor. "I want you to listen to me very carefully," Panthro said. "You have five seconds to explain to me why you drove my baby up here, before I spread your entrails all over the ground."

"You have nothing to worry about, General," the Captain said through his helmet before gesturing to the pilot. "Lieutenant Tobin here has passed all the simulations with flying colors."

"That still doesn't explain why you brought it up here," Panthro growled.

"Lord Lion-O's ThunderTank is of major strategic value," the Captain explained. "We needed to bring it up here with the rest of the heavy armor."

_The rest of the heavy armor?_ Cheetara and WilyKit were the first ones to see the other ThunderTanks, Thunder-Walkers, Big-Cats, and other various vehicles manufactured by the Order.

Lion-O approached the group, trailed by the elephants whose meditations were interrupted. "What's going on here?" the Prince asked.

"Lord Lion-O," the Captain bowed, "we received reports from our scouts about a massive Lizard army heading this way. Grand Master Valern sent us here to reinforce you."

The group felt their eyes go wide. A lizard army was on its way here? "This is Mumm-Ra's work," Lion-O said suddenly. "He sent the army to stop us from finding the Spirit Stone."

"But it's been days," Pumyra spoke up, "and we're still no closer to finding it."

Cheetara looked to her prince. "If anyone can find it, it's you Lion-O."

Anet nodded in agreement. "You have done well in your meditations, Lion-O. You now have the insight you need to seek out the Spirit Stone. Go ahead; use your sword."

Lion-O took a deep breath before drawing his weapon and bringing the guard up to his eyes. "Sword of Omens," he said, "give me Sight Beyond Sight."

The lion's teal eyes glowed as he saw the same vision as before. The Spirit Stone was within the shack once more, but something different was happening. A burst of light emerged from the walls, and a portal soon formed.

"It can't be," Lion-O whispered. He looked over to those around him. "I know where the stone is."

* * *

Lion-O guided them to the shack where he had first looked for the stone. "I don't get it, kid," Panthro said. "You already checked this place, and it wasn't in here."

"That's because it isn't in here," Lion-O explained as he entered the shack, "it's through here. This shack is a doorway to where the Spirit Stone is hidden."

Pumyra seemed skeptical. "So if it's a doorway, then how do we open it?"

The prince looked to the sword in his hand. "Simple, you just use a key."

Lightning sparking from his blade, Lion-O thrust his sword into the wall. A golden glow flashed from the shack as a portal formed inside. The prince drew his blade away as the shimmering doorway fully formed.

"Incredible," Panthro said. "What is that?"

"It is a doorway to the Astral Plain," Anet said before turning to Lion-O. "That is where you will search for the Spirit Stone. Though I must warn you, finding it will not be easy. The Astral Plain is a place unlike you've ever been to. It is there that any thought itself is formed into reality."

Lion-O took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm ready." He then turned to his mentor. "Panthro, coordinate a defense and prepare for the Lizard army. I'm gonna need as much time as you can give me."

Panthro seemed confused. "But, what about the Spirit Stone?"

"Leave it to me," Lion-O replied. "I'm going in and searching for the stone alone. I need you all to stay out here and defend the portal until I get back."

Cheetara believed in her prince enough to allow him to search for the stone by himself, but something compelled her to step forward. "I can't let you do this alone," she said. "I'm coming with you."

The prince shook his head. "No, Cheetara, I need everyone out here when the Lizards attack. You're one of our best fighters; your place is with the others."

"You can argue with me all you want," Cheetara said, "but you and I both know I'm coming in with you whether you like it or not."

After a moment, Lion-O sighed. "Fine," he said. "I'll go first." With that, the prince walked through the shimmering portal and into the Astral Plain.

Cheetara was about to follow him when Anet held her back. "Wait," he said, "there is something you need to know. I have seen something, a vision."

"What sort of vision?" she asked, a worried feeling building up in her gut.

"By the evening bell tomorrow," Anet said, "everything between the two of you shall change."

Cheetara gulped nervously. "How?" she asked. "What will happen?"

"Anet's visions are never clear," Aburn said, "but they have always come true."

Though uncertain of what the future may hold for her and Lion-O, Cheetara knew it would not stop her from following him into the unknown. With that in mind, the Cleric stepped into the portal.

Outside, sitting unseen on a branch, a strange black crow observed both lion and cheetah enter the portal. Inside the crow's mind, Mumm-Ra smirked.

"_Those fools do not know that their deaths will soon come to pass,"_ said the evil voice of the Ever-Living. _"For in the Astral Plain, I am all powerful!"_

The crow then flew swiftly into the portal, unseen by all, following the Prince and Cleric as they began their search for the stone.


End file.
